Unity bets cry foul over ‘ASO’ jingle

Team Unity senatorial candidates Edgardo Angara, Vicente Sotto III and Teresa Aquino-Oreta cried foul yesterday over the jingle released by the Genuine Opposition that was hitting them for moving to the administration.

The opposition called the three ASO – a combination of the first letters of Angara, Sotto and Oreta which means "dog" in English.

The jingle follows the tune of the 1950s hit song "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?"

Angara said the jingle, which was first played during GO’s proclamation rally at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila last Feb. 24, was "slanderous and libelous."

"That is a brazen act," he said in an interview. "They are saying that I am a bribe-taker. How dare they say that? If I call them thieves that is also libelous."

Angara threatened to press charges against those behind the jingle.

"That should not be printed or played by broadcast media because that is a violation of the Election Code that prohibits black propaganda," he said.

Angara said it would be up to his lawyers to see how they could stop the playing of the jingle since "nobody got the license to libel or slander public officials even during election season."

"We know who are those propagating these things, they are the ones destroying us," he said.

Angara said he harbored no ill feelings against ousted President Joseph Estrada even if he was reported to be the one who wrote the lyrics of the jingle.

Sotto and Oreta, both long-time friends of Estrada, doubted that the deposed leader had written the piece to attack them.

They were very hurt and sad about the tirades against them by the opposition, Sotto and Oreta added.

Sotto said they were not included in the oppositionís ticket so they could not be accused of being turncoats.

"But it was free plugging, thanks anyway," Sotto said in jest.

Oreta denied that they were paid to join the administration to weaken the opposition.

In an interview, Oreta told The STAR that her fears that Mr. Estrada would just be used by the people surrounding him during the elections were already becoming true because of what has been happening.

"I feel very, very sad because as far as I know Erap (Estrada’s nickname) is very kind and has a good heart," she said.

Oreta said she believes that Mr. Estrada is "just being taken advantage of, especially his kindness."

"I can’t believe he will do such a thing, that is out of character. I cannot accept this accusation. At the right time, I will tell the real story behind my decision to run under the administration. But definitely, we did not do this for money."

Estrada would not hit his friends that way even if "he’s very, very hurt already,"she added. – Aurea Calica