Lanao group: Opposition luring us to join destab

The Lanao Unity Government (LUM), a group supporting President Arroyo, claimed that its members are being recruited by a political officer of the late Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) and an ally of detained former President Joseph Estrada to bring the destabilization effort to Mindanao.

In a statement, the LUM said its members are being enticed to turn their back against the President and declare that there was massive cheating in the 2004 presidential elections.

Macoy Lucman, LUM president, said FPJ’s political officer called them a number of times to arrange a meeting to this effect, but they refused to honor the invitation.

Lucman said the LUM members were asked to link up with the Estrada ally with regards to the requested testimonies.

The group did not give in to the request and instead denounced the plot to the members of the media in Lanao and Cagayan de Oro City.

Lomala Makadaub, an LUM member, denied that there was massive rigging of votes in Lanao, saying that Mrs. Arroyo, in fact, lost in Lanao del Norte.

Makadaub said the people of Lanao were even ready to die to defend their votes so the alleged cheating was impossible.

The Lanao Unity Government is composed of different opposition parties which had supported FPJ’s candidacy, but switched to Mrs. Arroyo’s camp weeks before last year’s elections.