Poe promises to be tough on crime

Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) standard- bearer Fernando Poe Jr. vowed yesterday to address the concerns of the Chinese-Filipino community, particularly the need for peace and order and a level playing field for business.

Poe made this promise during a luncheon held for representatives of more than 50 Chinese-Filipino trade, business, sports and family associations at the President’s Restaurant in Binondo, Manila.

"In my talks with people and my (Chinese-Filipino) friends the major problems have been peace and order, kidnappings and rampant bribery," Poe said in Filipino.

He said his first step in addressing the peace and order problem will be to instill discipline in the police and military.

Poe said that if elected he will not practice favoritism in his police and military appointments.

"In my eyes, everybody would be equal, there’ll be no favoritism. Even in business all will be equal and there’ll be less government interference in business," he said in Filipino.

Poe said he would focus on stopping corruption because it eventually leads to other crimes like kidnapping.

KNP senatorial candidate former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim said Chinese-Filipino businessmen are favorite targets of corrupt tax and police officials.

"We must deal with them (corrupt officials) with an iron fist so we can put an end to frame-ups and extortion," he said.

The luncheon was organized by Manila Rep. Harry Angping and business leader Daniel Laogan.

Angping and Laogan said the Chinese-Filipino community can no longer afford to be passive in the political affairs of the country.

Angping conceded Poe’s opposition rival, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, remains strong in the Chinese-Filipino community but added that the KNP standard-bearer is fast gaining support.

"Hopefully it will translate into financial support for FPJ," he said.

Laogan said that judging from "the very warm reception," he saw support "snowballing" for Poe.

During their brief speeches the KNP candidates tried to outdo each other in showing their affinity to the Chinese-Filipino community.

Poe’s wife, Susan Roces, pulled a surprise by urging her audience in Fookienese to vote for her husband.

"Have a pleasant afternoon," she said. "I hope you will support my husband."

Roces later explained to reporters that she learned the Chinese dialect from her mother and from her stint in "Mano Po 2," a movie about the travails of a Chinese-Filipino family.

At the start of his address, Poe joked that because Roces can understand some Chinese, she is sometimes given a discount when shopping in Binondo.

"I hope when I come back here, you will also give me a discount," he said.

KNP senatorial candidate Amina Rasul said her great grandfather was a Chinese surnamed Tan. Rasul said that while growing up in Sulu she was enrolled for three years by her mother, Santanina Rasul, in a Chinese school because the former senator wanted her to get the "best education."

Senatorial candidate Ernesto Herrera said his father was a full-blooded Chinese, who became the first Chinese consul in Cebu.

"So I’m 50 percent Chinese," he said.

Senatorial candidate Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen said his great-grandfather was Chinese, Datu Piang Tan.

Before arriving at the President’s Restaurant, the candidates rode on calesas (horse-drawn carriages).

To the delight of the crowd that gathered to greet them, Poe held the horse’s reins of the calesa he shared with wife Roces. In his movies, Poe was often depicted as a horse-riding hero.