"The fight is not over," Poe told supporters as a congressional committee dominated by pro-Arroyo lawmakers continued its task of tabulating the results of the May 10 elections before the presidential inaugural on June 30.
"We have a leadership that is power-hungry, that will do everything to remain in power," Poe told scores of supporters at San Bartolome Parish Center in Malabon City. "This is a leadership that only protects its personal interest and does not serve the interest of the majority."
It was the harshest attack on the President by Poe, a movie actor and high school dropout, since he announced his bid for the presidency in December.
Citing unofficial counts, Poe has already claimed victory, while Mrs. Arroyo’s supporters insist she won.
The official count has been delayed by debates between pro-Arroyo and pro-Poe legislators over whether 176 certificates of canvass (COCs) were authentic and properly prepared amid opposition charges of widespread cheating.
Opposition legislators have also insisted on canvassing by a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives, but pro-Arroyo legislators say the committee is the speediest way of counting.
"A majority of our legislators are turning a blind eye to the truth," Poe said. "They are trying to protect a President that has no mandate of the people, and that mandate for her would never happen. They want to use as a basis bogus certificates of canvass, and if that happens, we will have a bogus president."
The Arroyo administration has denied cheating, and has told the Poe camp to file protests with the Supreme Court instead of delaying the vote count.
"They have used all kinds of weapons against us, but we have a weapon that they don’t have — and that is the truth," Poe said. "I am not one to back out of a fight."
Last week, opposition lawyers claimed the May 10 elections were the "dirtiest" in history.
Poe delivered the same prepared speech as he met with supporters in Navotas and Caloocan City The voters in northern Metro Manila — which covers Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela — gave Poe one of his biggest margins against Mrs. Arroyo. All KNP mayoral candidates in CAMANAVA also won in the local elections.
Poe skipped Valenzuela City as its newly elected mayor, Sherwin Gatchalian, is in the United States, according to his communications group.
He was accompanied in his CAMANAVA rounds by returning Malabon Mayor Amado Vicencio, who had just served a seven-month suspension; re-elected Mayor Toby Tiangco of Navotas and JV Ejercito of San Juan; and newly elected Caloocan Mayor Recom Echeverri. In Malabon, Tito Oreta, brother-in-law of opposition Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta, won the mayoral post.
Poe assured the government he was not inciting people to take to the streets and hold protest actions against the administration. He renewed his call for sobriety and said he was open to reconciliation with the administration "as long as the truth comes out."
"Let’s not talk about taking to the streets. We should be calm. Let’s not talk about EDSA," he said, referring to the popular revolts that ousted the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and President Joseph Estrada in 2001. Estrada is Poe’s close friend.
Poe also dismissed allegations that his visits to various urban centers are connected to the alleged tactics by the opposition to delay the congressional canvass.
"My visits are (not) coordinated with whatever is happening in Congress. I have been thanking voters and doing rounds for some time now. This will continue if the weather permits," he said.