CEBU, Philippines - At least 60 members of the Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD) picketed outside the GMA-7 compound during the radio interview of former Bureau of Customs district collector David Odilao Jr. yesterday afternoon.
Odilao was the guest of Lloyd Suarez’s radio program over dySS when the ANAD members trooped to the network.
The picketers expressed disgust against Odilao, accusing him as falsely claiming the position as first nominee of the partylist group.
They alleged that Odilao had long left the organization.
Odilao was invited to guest the Dialogue on Air radio program in which he and Suarez tackled the possibility of reconciliation within the organization.
The protesters arrived around 3 p.m., staying outside the gate of GMA-7 compound carrying placards disclaiming Odilao as member of ANAD.
Worried about his security, Odilao immediately requested for a police escort. A dySS staff then asked the Cebu City Police Office for assistance.
The CCPO sent Mobile Patrol Group personnel and operatives of the Mabolo Police Station to the network.
ANAD Representative Pastor “Jun” Alcover denied ordering his people to stage the picket against Odilao.
“Niadto ra gyud sila pagkahibalo nga diha si Odilao to show that he is nothing in ANAD kay kagubot ra man gyud ang gidala ana niya. Gusto ra ko niya babagan sa paglingkod kay wala siya gi-nominate sa national council,” Alcover told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.
Alcover said Odilao got disappointed and left the group when he was not chosen as its first nominee.
Later on, Alcover said they discovered that Odilao has been disseminating information claiming he is the first nominee of ANAD.
“The whole ANAD group will rally against him later. I challenge him also to stage a rally para mahibaw-an nato kung naa ba g’yud sya’y tawo,” Alcover said.
Alcover said he can mobilize around 5,000 to 10,000 ANAD members in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to rally against Odilao. In Visayas alone, he said ANAD has 200,000 members.
A big rally against Odilao will be held after the proclamation of winning partylists, said Alcover, who claimed they are already assured of at least a seat in Congress.
Alcover said he and his group are planning to file a perjury case against Odilao for applying before the Commission on Elections as first nominee of the group.
Alcover said they will use the big rally as evidence to prove to the Comelec that Odilao is no longer connected with the group and should be disqualified.
Odilao said he learned about the demonstration outside the GMA-7 complex after the radio program past 5 p.m.
Accompanied by his own escorts, Odilao said he was able to leave the place without being noticed by the protesters.
He claimed there were only around 30 people who actually picketed yesterday, many whom were bystanders along Colon Street paid by the other ANAD group.
Odilao said the other ANAD group led by Alcover should raise all their concerns before the Comelec.
“Kadaghan na ko naka-receive og mga threats gikan nila. I told them to go to the Comelec. Dili kay magpakita-kita nga mag-rally sila unya hulgaon-hulgaon ta nga ipapatay kung dili ko mo-withdraw,” Odilao said. — /LPM (THE FREEMAN)