‘Bomb threat’ aborts Poe visit to Ozamis

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — An alleged bomb threat prevented Koalisyon ng Nagka-kaisang Pilipino (KNP) standard bearer Fernando Poe Jr. from appearing at his campaign rally in nearby Ozamis City last Thursday.

Edwin Sigue, of the FPJ-Loren Movement in Ozamis City, said the helicopter bearing the actor was about to descend on the grounds of the Ozamis City National High School when the landing was aborted because of a "serious threat."

Without Poe, the KNP rally still went on with vice presidential candidate Sen. Loren Legarda and the entire KNP senatorial line-up in attendance.

Poe’s no-show at the Ozamis rally raised speculations that the opposition has lost its hold on the city and the entire Misamis Occidental, which used to be a bailiwick of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) of ousted President Joseph Estrada.

A few days before the KNP rally, lawyer Henry Oaminal, the opposition’s congressional candidate in Misamis Occidental’s first district, withdrew his support for Poe and jumped to the camp of President Arroyo.