PNoy to attend BOPK rally

CEBU, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III will attend the campaign rally of the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan next week at the Capitol grounds.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña, head of  BOPK,  revealed  that Aquino already confirmed his attendance in the rally.

BOPK is an ally of Aquino’s Liberal Party.

Mayor Michael Rama said that Osmeña’s announcement that their political group will not fetch their supporters to attend their rally is just an alibi because BOPK cannot gather a huge crowd to attend their activity.

Osmeña earlier said that the officials of the Liberal Party and BOPK are not expecting a huge crowd to attend their rally on April 18 because they are not compelling their supporters in far and remote areas to attend the event.

Osmeña said unlike their political opponents who used government resources in bringing their supporters to the venue of their rally as a show of force, the BOPK and LP will avoid such practice, which is illegal.

“Rama is entitled to be stupid. We do not share the same value. He can make a fool of himself if he wants. I won’t go down to his level. He thinks stars will make him popular,” Osmeña said.

Meanwhile, Rama said that violence should not be the answer if a constituent does not greet back.

Rama said this following an incident involving a vendor who was allegedly harassed by a supporter of BOPK.

The fish sold by Salvacion Bueno, a vendor in Alaska, Mambaling, was reportedly “tossed” by a BOPK supporter after she declined to shake the hand of a candidate campaining in the area.

“Mamalik  sila unya ingon ana sila ka-violent? Bad habits, if not eliminated in a group, can be repeated,” Rama told reporters adding it is the right of the constituents to freely express their sentiments.

He recalled a similar scenario when a potential voter he approached did not treat him well.

“We were in Guadalupe one morning. I saw this senior citizen so I greeted with my ‘good morning.’ You know what he did? He answered with ‘good afternoon’ and turned away,” he narrated.

But the mayor also emphasized that this behavior should not slip without teaching the person the proper way to deal with public figure.

“So what I did was I greeted him again. ‘Good Morning! What you did was rude.’ Then I continued with my handshaking. You have to make them realize of the gravity of what they did. Otherwise, they will brag about insulting a public official,” Rama explained.

Rama said he will not initiate but should the vendor decide to press charges, he will be willing to extend assistance. — Rene U. Borromeo, Jessa Chrisna Marie Agua/MBG