Former senator Juan Ponce Enrile told around 3,000 supporters of Poe at the Botanical Garden on Saturday that Poe has many similarities with the late President Marcos.
Speaking in Ilocano, Enrile reminded the leaders and members of the FPJ for President Movement (fpjpm) how the Solid North pushed Marcos to the presidency in the 1960s.
“Ti Solid North, nangipan idi 1965 iti taga-Amianan idiay Malacañang. Idi Ferdinand, ita Fernando. Ti kalaban tayo idi ket Macapagal, ita Macapagal manen [The Solid North put somebody from the North in Malacañang. Before it was Ferdinand, now it is Fernando. Our opponent then was a Macapagal [Diosdado], now it is another Macapagal [Gloria],” he said.
The movie actor traces his roots to Pangasinan, which makes him a son of the North according to Enrile and worthy of support accorded then to the late President Marcos. Enrile and former ambassador Ernesto Maceda, both Ilocanos, were former members of the then Marcos cabinet during his 20-year presidency that ended during the 1986 people power in edsa.
Enrile is from Cagayan Valley and was then Marcos’s closest aides as the Minister of National Defense.
Maceda is from Ilocos Sur and served the Marcos administration in various key positions, including Minister of Natural Resources.
The two were with the 17 provincial coordinators of the fpjpm who swore to Poe their loyalty and support on Saturday when Poe was given the Bontoc name as adopted son of the Cordilleras “camwakhan,” or strong warrior.
“Camwakhan was a blacksmith, or a “panday.” He was a maker of spears in the 1800s who led his tribe to victory against other tribes in Mountain Province that led to making Bontoc the dominant tribe,” according to Moises Dipalog and Richard Cawed, both from Bontoc and supporters of Poe.
Former President Joseph Estrada was also accorded the honor of being an adopted son of the Cordilleras before his election as President in 1998. He was then-President Ramos’s vice president. The adoption was held at the Melvin Jones by then Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA) chief, Sergio Kawi.
Ironically, it was Estrada’s administration that canceled the budget for the CRA and the Cordillera Executive Board.
A stand-out during the “sapata” for FPJ was a representative from the Batanes Islands, Cecilia Garcia, a businesswoman who paid P2,450 for a one-way airplane ticket to pledge her support for Poe on Saturday.
She said that support of the 9,000 voters in Batanes for Poe is weak due to the influence of Rep. Butz Abad, who is with the administration Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.
“Medyo mahina, kasi malakas si congressman Abad,” Garcia said, adding that their fpjpm is composed of 40 members.
The 45 fpjpm representatives from Abra stood out among the other groups in their blue vests and caps bearing the white prints of “FPJ for President.”
Oscar Valera, who claimed to be a cousin of Gov. Vicente Valera of Abra, expressed confidence that Poe would win in Abra because the Valeras are running unopposed and are supportive of FPJ.
“There is no money involved here, as this is pure volunteerism on our part because we believe in FPJ’s [Poe’s] integrity. He is clean and he did not ask anything from Erap despite their close friendship,” according to Valera.
The fpjpm coordinator in Kalinga, Mauricio Pitag, who led his 40 members, has another reason for supporting Poe. They were extras in one of FPJ movies that was shot in Kalinga, Nagbabalik na Police Probinsyano.
“Inayaban na kami pay idi idiay Manila tapno ibaga mi dagitay ug-ugali ken customs ti Kalinga,” Pitag said.
“Makamasa kasi siya [FPJ],” according to Rex Agapaoa of Pangasinan.
“He is the only one who can solve the problems of our government like poverty and too much criminality and politicking,” according to Wilfredo Pecson of Cagayan.
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
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by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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