Roco trapped in elevator

Genuine Opposition senatorial candidate Sonia Roco and 12 other people were trapped for over 40 minutes in an overloaded elevator of an old office building in Makati City yesterday.

Roco’s party were on their way to the GO headquarters for a press conference when an elevator of the old Manila Bank headquarters along Ayala Avenue stopped.

Radio reports said Roco and the others got into the elevator before 1 p.m. and were only able to get out before 2 p.m.

Roco’s campaign manager Butch Africa told The STAR that Mrs. Roco was "a bit shaken" during and after the incident.

She was trapped along with her sister, Regina Hernandez, and Hernandez’s husband, Simeon, and 10 other people.

"There were 13 people in the elevator, and it stopped for about 40 minutes. During the incident, some people were able to help the victims by pulling out the roof before rescue finally came," Africa said.

Africa said it took 40 minutes before the elevator door was opened because maintenance personnel came from another office, not within the building.

"When she got out, she was very thankful that nothing untoward happened," said Africa.

Roco declined to comment when asked if the incident triggered memories of when she was trapped for days in a building that collapsed during the July 16, 1990 earthquake that destroyed major portions of Baguio City. Roco survived but an in-law who was with her did not make it.

According to Africa, Mrs. Roco went back to her campaign headquarters at Strata Building in Ortigas Center, Pasig to prepare for another campaign sortie in Central Luzon today.

Election heat

Meanwhile, in the town of Paniqui, Tarlac, Team Unity senatorial candidate Michael Defensor’s wife Julie, collapsed during a caravan of the administration bets apparently due to the scorching heat.

According to a member of Defensor’s campaign staff, the incident occurred at around 3 p.m. on the way to Camiling town.

Julie suddenly lost consciousness while onboard a pick-up that was part of the motorcade. She was rushed to Central Luzon General Hospital but her husband, who was in Bukidnon, ordered his staff to bring his wife to Manila immediately. – With Aurea Calica