Davao officials threaten to boycott PPC rallies

Lakas members in the Davao provinces and Compostela Valley, from congressman, governor to town councilor, will boycott today’s campaign rallies of the administration People Power Coalition (PPC) in their provinces.

"Hindi kami sinabihan, so hindi kami pupunta (We were not informed about the rallies, so we will not go). It’s as simple as that," Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio "Tonyboy" Floirendo, who was in his district, told Manila-based reporters yesterday.

He said the governor of his province, Rodolfo del Rosario, Reps. Rogelio Sarmiento and Prospero Amatong of Com-postela Valley, and other Lakas members are also staying away from the PPC campaign sorties.

He said the PPC chairman for the Davao provinces, former Agriculture Secretary Roberto Sebastian, has not notified Lakas members about the coalition’s campaign swing.

"He has limited the notification to those belonging to Reporma," he added.

Sebastian belongs to Reporma, which is led by Executive Secretary Renato de Villa. He is running for governor of Davao del Norte against incumbent Del Rosario.

Floirendo said Sebastian has also put up candidates against all the other Lakas incumbents in his area of influence.

"Okay lang naman sa amin, kasi tatalunin naman namin sila (It’s fine with us because we will defeat them)," he said.

He said Sebastian set aside the equity of the incumbent and the "equity of impeachment" that the PPC wants observed in the selection of candidates.

Floirendo, Sarmiento and Amatong are among the Mindanao congressmen who supported the impeachment case against ousted President Joseph Estrada.

"Suportado pa rin namin ang Arroyo administration kahit binabastos kami dito (We remain supportive of the Arroyo administration despite the fact that we are getting a shabby treatment here)," said Floirendo.

Commenting on the boycott and possible junking they are facing in the Davao provinces, former Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. said this highlights the rivalry among local political groups belonging to the PPC.

"We hope coalition leaders will resolve these problems to the satisfaction of all parties," said Villar, a PPC senatorial candidate.

He said he was confident that although Lakas members were threatening to boycott this week’s campaign swing in Davao, they would not junk PPC candidates when voting time comes.

Davao is not an isolated case. More than a week ago, the ruling coalition had to cancel its campaign rallies in Iloilo because Lakas members there were threatening to stay away.

Iloilo City Rep. Raul Gonzalez said they were protesting the decision of PPC senatorial candidate Franklin Drilon to field his supporters against them.

In Pampanga, Vice President Teofisto Guingona and Isabela Rep. Heherson Alvarez, Lakas president and secretary-general, respectively, have nominated former Rep. Emigdio Lingad as the party’s candidate for congressman for the second district.

However, Pampanga Gov. Lito Lapid, who is the Lakas provincial chairman, issued a separate nomination for incumbent Rep. Zenaida Ducut, who belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition of businessman and Estrada friend Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.

"This has thrown us into confusion," Lingad complained recently.