Pacquiao to join Villar campaign sorties after match with Clottey

MANILA, Philippines - World boxing champion Manny Pacquiao made a commitment yesterday to join Nacionalista Party presidential bet Sen. Manny Villar in campaign sorties after he returns from his bout with boxer Joshua Clottey of Ghana in Dallas, Texas this March.

“Soon after my return to the Philippines, I will join my beloved president Manny Villar so I can introduce him to our countrymen,” Pacquiao said in a videotaped message shown last Sunday night during the NP political rally in Mandaue City that capped the party’s two-day campaign in Cebu province.

“He’s (Villar) the only person who can help the poor because he defied poverty to become a successful businessman,” said Pacquiao.

“Let us support our beloved president, Manny Villar. All these years there was no change, more people became poor and have no job,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao said the country needs people who have experienced how to be poor.

“I myself come from that (poor) sector, and I feel the hurt when the poor cry for help from the government,” Pacquiao added.

Meanwhile, the Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago movement, formerly known as the Magdalo group of rebel soldiers, yesterday officially endorsed the presidential bid of NP standard-bearer Villar and Liberal Party vice-presidential bet Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

In a statement read by spokesman former Air Force lieutenant Francisco Ashley Acedillo at a press conference in San Juan City, the Magdalo movement said it supports the candidacies of Villar and Roxas following a consultation involving leaders from 400 of its national and local chapters who represent their 55,000 members nationwide.

Members of Magdalo are facing rebellion charges stemming from the mutiny they staged in the then Oakwood Premier building (now Ascott Makati) at Ayala Center in Makati City in 2003. The group staged the siege to denounce alleged corruption of the Arroyo administration.

Acedillo said their endorsement of Villar is subject to three conditions: that Villar would not enter into an alliance with President Arroyo, that Villar would promote Magdalo’s advocacy, which includes the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, eradication of poverty and peace in Mindanao; and allow Magdalo members to again serve in the government, including Magdalo’s detained chairman, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

He said Villar was informed of the group’s support and the NP bet had agreed to all three conditions.

Magdalo said that despite its endorsement of Villar and Roxas, the group still considers LP presidential bet Sen. Benigno Aquino III, former President Joseph Estrada, NP vice presidential bet Sen. Loren Legarda and Partido ng Masang Pilipino vice presidential candidate Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay as friends of the movement.

Magdalo also expressed support for the senatorial bid of detained Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, Senators Pia Cayetano and Jinggoy Estrada, Ilocos Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Susan Ople, former Rep. Gilbert Remulla, Adel Tamano, detained Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon, former senator Tito Sotto, lawyer JV Bautista and national broadband network scam witness Jose “Joey” de Venecia Jr.

Lim said he couldn’t support Villar because he is a guest candidate of the LP.

Acedillo said Magdalo decided to support the bids of Villar and Roxas to ensure that there will be a system of check and balance at Malacañang because the two candidates belong to different political parties.

“As we expect teamwork, we also expect check and balance. If they are worth our votes, they should work for the benefit of the Filipinos,” he said.

He said Villar and several other presidential candidates had earlier solicited the support of the Magdalo.

Acedillo said that they are not asking for pardon or amnesty for detained Magdalo soldiers, including Trillanes, once Villar becomes president.

Aside from endorsing candidates in the May polls, Magdalo is also fielding its own members for various local posts as independent candidates.

Acedillo is running as representative in the first district of Cebu City, former Lt. Senior Grade James Layug and Capt. Dante Langkit are also eyeing House seats in Taguig City and Kalinga, respectively. Former captain Gary Alejano, is running for mayor of Sipalay City in Negros Occidental.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Party assailed the alliance forged by the NP and the Nationalist People’s Coalition, saying it was bogus and done as an “afterthought” apparently to steal from LP its right of being accredited as the dominant minority party in the May 10 national elections.

The LP, in a petition filed with the Commission on Elections, said that in trying to win the dominant minority status, “petitioner NP-NPC Coalition clearly is attempting not only to pull the rug from under LP’s feet but to circumvent the law and make a mockery of our democracy.”

“The out-of-order petition filed by this imaginary coalition scorns both the political party system and the electoral exercise, and sidelines the Filipino people’s rights,” LP stressed as it sought to dismiss the lumped petition for registration of the NP-NPC Coalition and its accreditation as the dominant minority party.

The LP said there was no formal coalition agreement between the NP and NPC and that the alleged NP-NPC coalition was formed only on Jan. 28 - a good six months after the Comelec-imposed deadline for registration of political parties. Comelec Resolution No. 8646 specified the deadline to be on Aug. 17, 2009.

NP senatorial bet former congressman Remulla said the LP should not act as if they are already the dominant minority because the Comelec has not issue a ruling yet. “The LP does not own the dominant minority status or the concept of democracy,” Remulla said.

Under the rules, the dominant minority party status is given to the political party that has the most number of incumbent elective officials and the most number of candidates for national and local positions. It is likewise given to the party which has the sufficient organizational strength to launch a nationwide campaign.

The dominant minority party will get a copy of the electronic returns once the automated canvassing of votes begins at the close of polls on May 10. - With Mike Frialde, Aurea Calica, Mayen Jaymalin, Alexis Romero