MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday took a swipe at political chameleons and the Revillas in Cavite when he went there to launch a program for basic services, saying the public must not believe in fantasies.
“Just a reminder: expect people to pretend, and there are those riding on our crusade, there are those who wear yellow but we don’t really know what’s inside,†Aquino said in Filipino during the launching of “Alay sa Mamamayan†for Caviteños to address pressing concerns such as poverty, food security, education, health, livelihood and other basic concerns of the people in the province.
“Let us not rely on chance, or amulets or charms. Let us learn to assess the next leaders of the nation to ensure that we will rev up for the fulfillment of our dreams and no longer go astray,†the President said.
Aquino was apparently referring to the clan of Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. whose members have ruled Cavite for a long time. Revilla, a popular actor, is being eyed as Lakas-CMD’s presidential candidate in 2016. His father Ramon Sr. is reputed to have his own agimat or amulet, just like his character in the movies, Pepeng Agimat.
Responding to Aquino’s statement, Senator Revilla greeted the President, an advance happy birthday.
The President sought support for the candidates of the Liberal Party (LP) who would run against the well-entrenched Remulla-Revilla clans.
Incumbent Gov. Jonvic Remulla is running for re-election, and his running mate is Revilla’s son Jolo. Aquino endorsed LP’s candidate for governor, incumbent 3rd District Rep. Erineo “Ayong†Maliksi, who was the governor of the province from 2001 to 2010.
Jolo is running against Sen. Panfilo Lacson’s son, Jay, under the administration ticket.
Joining the President were administration senatorial candidates Bam Aquino and Risa Hontiveros, as well as LP stalwarts Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya.
Aquino thanked the Caviteños for the warm welcome and said the government was focused on programs that would make people’s lives better.
He appealed to the people to give him allies who would help him lead the country in the more than three years that he would still be in office.
“In the straight path, we are not racing (against each other), pushing or pulling (each other down). We are true allies of the people and you need really straight public servants,†he said.
Attendance confirmed
Sen. Francis “Chiz†Escudero and Grace Poe-Llamanzares have confirmed their attendance in the opening rally of the administration Team P-Noy senatorial ticket at the Plaza Miranda in Manila on Tuesday.
“Yes, they have already given their word. Chiz and Grace will be there, along with other members of Team PNoy,†a congressman-source in the ruling LP told reporters yesterday.
He said the ruling party has not received a similar commitment from Sen. Loren Legarda.
“What we have is her previous statement that she would be attending the birthday party of her father on Tuesday. So she would not be in our rally, nor would she be in Cebu,†he said.
Cebu is where the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and former President Joseph Estrada is firing its opening campaign salvo.
Escudero, Llamanzares and Legarda are common candidates of the LP-led administration coalition and UNA.
Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim is hosting Team P-Noy’s campaign launch, while suspended Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia is the principal organizer-host of UNA’s opening rally.
Estrada is challenging Lim’s mayoral re-election bid.
The former president, Enrile and Binay have sons and a daughter in the UNA slate: San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito-Estrada, Cagayan Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. and Nancy Binay.
On the other hand, President Aquino has a cousin in Team P-Noy: Bam Aquino.
In a television interview on Wednesday, Estrada said he could accept the decision of Llamanzares to be with Team P-Noy and not UNA, despite the fact that she is the daughter of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., who was his close friend. – With Jess Diaz, Marvin Sy, Delon Porcalla