Ruling party says Gibo will win

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 00:00




Original Story: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/14483-ruling-party-says-gibo-will-win


The ruling party on Tuesday said its standard-bearer in the May 10 elections would race past his rivals in the homestretch.

That comeback, despite a recent survey putting former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro of the administration coalition behind three other aspirants, would be made possible by the party’s organizational clout and youth support.

Teodoro resigned on Tuesday as chairman of Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) to focus more on his presidential bid.

With last week’s start of the campaign for local-government posts, “the formidable political machinery of Lakas-Kampi CMD now comes into play as our local candidates and their ward leaders start campaigning hard for Gibo to ensure his victory, ” said Mike Toledo, the ruling party’s spokesman.

“About two-thirds of almost 19,000 candidates running for local elective posts in the May 10 elections belong to Lakas-Kampi CMD,” Toledo pointed out.

Results from the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that Liberal Party (LP) bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd is still leading, followed by Nacionalista Party’s (NP) Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino’s (PMP) former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

The survey was conducted from March 19 to 22, or several days before the start of the local campaign.

Teodoro’s other “secret weapon,” according to Toledo, is his lock on the votes of students and other young voters, who comprise the majority of this year’s electorate.

“Voters, especially the young ones, see him as the most qualified among the current crop of presidential contenders on the strength of his clear and doable platform of government; sterling record in the academe, the House of Representatives and the Department of National Defense; and his impressive performance in presidential debates and other public engagements,” the spokesman said.

In the run-up to the May 10 polls, Teodoro appealed to government leaders to get past their differences, and focus instead on doing things that can help improve the country.

He was campaigning in his native Tarlac, also the home province of rival Aquino.

He made an unscheduled stop at the Concepcion town market, where he waded though a veritable sea of supporters clad in green (his campaign color) and waving green banners, flags, noisemakers and fans.

As the elections approach, enmity between the Aquino and Villar camps continues, with the Liberal Party denying any involvement in the alleged smear campaign against Villar.

The NP candidate has been under sniping from the Aquino camp for allegedly making money from a road project and lying about his supposed rise from poverty.

Villar is also under fire from Malacañang, this time for announcing that he would investigate President Gloria Arroyo’s alleged midnight appointments if he won the presidency.

The Palace also did not spare Aquino, for also announcing that if he became president, he would form a commission that will look into controversies linking the Arroyo administration.

He warned against “adventurism,” accusing Aquino of conditioning the minds of the people that another “people power revolt” is possible if he (Aquino) loses his bid for the presidency.

Jefferson Antiporda, Angelo S. Samonte and Cris G. Odronia


Original Story: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/14483-ruling-party-says-gibo-will-win