BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Only a small crowd attended yesterday Team PNoy’s rally inthe Melvin Jones Park and only five of the 12 senatorial candidates joined President Aquino in wooing voters.
About 600 people gathered in the park as members of the Presidential Security Group and police secured the area before the President delivered his speech.
Only re-electionist Senators Alan Peter Cayertano and Koko Pimentel; the President’s cousin Bam Aquino; former senator Jamby Madrigal and former Akbayan party-list Rep. Risa Baraquel were present. Other candidates sent their proxies.
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay also held a rally at the Baguio City Convention Center.
But Team PNoy campaign manager Sen. Franklin Drilon downplayed speculations by media that there could be a face-off between the ruling party and UNA, saying people should not expect a clash among the candidates, much less fiery word wars.
“We’ll just go there, we’ll go up the stage, we’ll explain our platform,†Drilon told reporters in Dagupan City on Friday.