‘Puwersa’ gets cold reception in Lipa

LIPA CITY — Candidates for senator of the opposition Puwersa ng Masa tried to make inroads in Batangas yesterday but received the proverbial cold shoulder, especially in this city.

Residents of the city were unenthusiastic as opposition candidates held a motorcade. Only a few went out to the streets, with a number of them even giving the motorcade the thumbs-down sign.

Batangas is believed to be a stronghold of the admi-nistration, with three Cabinet members coming from the province. They are Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, Executive Secretary Renato de Villa and acting Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita.

In addition, a favorite son of the province, Rep. Ralph Recto is running for senator under the People Power Coalition. Recto‘s wife, Vilma Santos, is running unopposed for re-election as Lipa City mayor after her supposed rival, former Mayor Ruben Umali, opted to run for congressman instead.

The gymnasium where the opposition candidates held their rally was attended by about 500 persons, including the companion campaigners of the candidates.

Former Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, former Presidential Adviser on Children‘s Affairs Jamby Madrigal and former Press Secretary Ricardo "Dong" Puno, all senatorial candidates, remained optimistic, however, that they could still snatch some votes in Batangas.

"I do not believe that the voters will vote based on parties," said Madrigal, the youngest candidate.

Mercado said that voters are intelligent and they will vote according to the qualification of the candidates, and not according to their party affiliation.

Despite Mercado’s statement, many opposition candidates are asking their audience to vote straight opposition and are drumming up crowd support for deposed President Joseph Estrada to get their sympathy vote.

The cold reception received by the opposition candidates in Batangas was similar to those in Lucena City and San Pablo City. Although Lucena boasts of a big population, the provincial gymnasium was not even half-full during the rally Thursday attended by Estrada.

Sources attributed this to the failure of the opposition to field a candidate for governor. Former Senate President Edgardo Angara, lead candidate for senator of the opposition, said incumbent Gov. Wilfrido Enverga was supposed to be their candidate.

"Biglang bumalimbing (He suddenly switched sides)," Angara said of Enverga.

Lucena City Mayor Mario Talaga, who used to be a follower of Estrada, has also joined the administration coalition.

In San Pablo City, the opposition "imported" a former mayor from Surigao as its candidate for mayor. Its candidate for congressman appeared lukewarm to the opposition campaign and did not even attend the rally in the city Friday night attended by less than 2,000 persons.

On the plus side of the opposition was the big attendance of their rallies in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and in Lopez, Quezon. Angara said they also got a big attendance in Marinduque and Romblon. Media covering the opposition were not able to go to the latter two provinces for lack of transportation.