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By Francis Earl A. Cueto, Reporter
THE Genuine Opposition (GO) on
Thursday skipped another campaign foray, saying its senatorial
candidates were busy raising funds.
GO’s candidates were scheduled
to campaign in Cabanatuan, but GO spokesman Adel Tamano said the
trip was canceled because the candidates had to attend fund-raising
projects.
“You can say that it was
because of [the candidates’ unavailability]. In fact they have
already issued a public apology to the people who were organizing
it,” Tamano said.
Tamano said Aquilino “Koko”
Pimentel 3rd was scheduled to go the GO headquarters Thursday
afternoon to discuss his strategy for a debate on television Friday.
Sen. John Osmeña was unavailable for Cabanatuan as well.
Rep. Allan Peter Cayetano of
Taguig Pateros was preparing for his hearing at the Commission on
Elections where faces a citizenship case.
It was the third time the
opposition had called off a sortie. GO had already canceled campaign
swings in Antique and Iloilo.
Mayor Joseph Victor “JV”
Ejercito of San Juan, outgoing GO campaign manager, said they
decided to skip the Antique leg of their campaign because of
“local issues.”
The Iloilo sortie was canceled
because of what GO claimed was a bomb threat.
But the cancellation of the
Cabanatuan sortie could indicate a big shift in GO’s campaign
plan.
Under the “blitzkrieg”
campaign individual candidates would fan out to different areas for
a wider coverage.
GO campaign organizer Alex Irasga
said the strategy would help other candidates to gain more ground
and at their own pace.
“We would let our candidates go
and campaign in different places for more coverage during the 90-day
campaign period,” Irasga said in a phone interview.
As early as Tuesday, Benigno
Aquino 3rd had ventured to the Caraga region, while Francis Escudero
campaigned in Occidental Mindoro.
Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile,
barnstormed in Bicol and Manny Villar and Pimentel toured the
marketplaces and did radio interviews, Irasga said.
Cayetano attended TV forums and
debates.
In Bulacan on Wednesday, Loren
Legarda, Lacson, Sonia Roco, John Osmeña started off from different
places of the province. Nikki Coseteng arrived a day ahead of the
pack, campaigning in Pulilan town.
They converged for a mini-rally
and Talakayang Bayan at the villa of Bulacan Vice-Governor Reli
Flamenco in Pulilan.
After delivering five-minute
speeches, some of the candidates drove on to San Rafael town for a
nighttime rally.
Legarda proceeded to Bustos to
rest for the night before returning to Manila.
On Thursday she was in Cabanatuan
for a briefing with local media.
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