IMUS, Cavite, Philippines – Calling themselves the “Transformers,” Bagumbayan presidential bet Sen. Richard Gordon and his running mate former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando rode atop a prime mover truck, which was dressed-up to look like Optimus Prime, the leader of the robots in the animated movie series “Transformers.”
The truck led a convoy of vehicles carrying the duo’s supporters that swept through the towns of Carmona, Bulihan, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Paliparan and Bayan Luma in Cavite. The convoy ended at the house of Gordon’s great-grandfather Jose Tagle, who served as municipal captain during the Philippine Revolution.
Tagle had joined Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo in routing Spanish troops at the Battle of Imus in 1896, where Filipino troops stormed a Spanish garrison and took a cannon and 30 rifles. Tagle later presented Aguinaldo with the saber of the captured garrison’s commander.
Gordon showed the saber, which was forged in Toledo, Spain to reporters yesterday. As he unsheathed the sword, Gordon said their three-hour motorcade to Imus signaled the start of their own battle.
“The start of our campaign is also a start towards change. We believe that Filipinos deserve clean and honest elections and they deserve truly competent and honest leaders who will fight corruption and lead them towards economic and political independence,” Gordon said.
Supporters, including friends from Subic and Marikina, joined them at a rally at the Imus Central Plaza.
“Kami ni Bayani will work hard. Hindi kami bihag ng popularidad (We are not bound by popularity). We are transformational leaders,” Gordon said, adding that despite their limited funds, he is confident that he and Fernando will win in the May 10 polls.
Fernando distributed copies of his compact disc (CD) titled “May B.F. ka na ba?”
Fernando is one of the “Three Tenors” together with Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes and former senator Joey Lina.
He said the release of the 5,000 CDs is part of the creative strategy of the “Transformers” team, which is intended to secure votes without spending too much.
Kapatiran bets
The Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) led by presidential candidate Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes said the party’s vice-presidential bet is lawyer Dominador “Jun” Chipeco Jr.
Chipeco, 67, has been the director of St. John Colleges since 1989. He used to be a law professor at the Arellano University and former unit head of the Couples for Christ.
Its official website shows that Ang Kapatiran “stands on a platform with clear and specific policy objectives all aimed at enhancing the common good, promoting the politics of virtue and the politics of duty.
“Ang Kapatiran will focus more on moral principles than political expediency, more on the needs of the poor and the vulnerable than the interests of the rich and the powerful, more on the pursuit of the common good than the demands of special interests, and more on the culture of life than the culture of death,” the website shows.
The party’s candidates for senators include lawyers Jess Paredes, Adrian Sison, Jo Imbong, and Grace Plazo, councilor Reggie Tamayo, Manny Valdehesa, Lito David and Col. Hector Tarrazona. – With Sheila Crisostomo