By Mar T. Supnad
SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga – Political leaders predicted a landslide victory of presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos while some 337,000 leaders and loyal supporters of BBM of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas showed their all out support to the UniTeam festival rally Friday night held at Robinsons here. According to Dr. Renato Legaspi, organizer and chairman of the Central Luzon Volunteers Movement, the figure was the joint estimate of their group and of the police who covered the biggest political rally held inside the Robinsons, Pampanga.
“In an interview, Dr. Legaspi said “We were just then expecting around 300,000 people but we were surprised about the overwhelming support who showed up to the BBM-Sara Uniteam.” In fact, said Dr Legaspi who was able to mobilize some 100,000 individual supporters of Marcos and Sara Duterte, “we were just then expecting around 300,000 crowds but it exceeded.”
A business magnate, educator and political leader, Legaspi said the political rally held here caused monstrous traffic jams for almost hours due to the presence of hundreds of thousands of supporters of BBM who came all the way from seven provinces and various cities in Region 3.
Arroyo endorses Bongbong
Meanwhile, former president Arroyo, also endorsed the presidential bid of Marcos and vice presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, saying Marcos was also endorsed by the influential Pineda clans led by the mother-and-son tandem of Gov. Dennis Pineda and Vice Gov. Lilia Pineda, four congressmen and 20 mayors of Pampanga.
Seen by newsmen in the rally were the 11 UniTeam senatorial candidates, namely Herbert Bautista, Win Gatchalian, Loren Legarda, Migz Zubiri, Gibo Teodoro, Harry Roque, Larry Gadon, Jinggoy Estrada, Gringo Honasan, Mark Villar and Robin Padilla who also attended the rally.
Another political bigwig who was seen in the area were LMP president Chavit Singson who came all the way from Narvacan, Ilocos Sur; Martin Araneta, Vincent Marcos, Liza Araneta Marcos and other political bigwigs and businessmen based in the region.
“Tapos na ang election, panalo na sigurado si BBM,” (Election is already done, BBM is a sure winner), Legaspi, an educator and business magnate in Central Luzon told newsmen.
It was learned that after Northern Mindanao sorties, Marcos and Duterte returned to Pampanga to solidify the support of this vote-rich province in Central Luzon.
Arroyo is a party-mate of Duterte, who is running as vice president under the Lakas-CMD.
The Davao City mayor is also the chairperson of Lakas-CMD and regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP). Duterte thanked the Kapampangans as she expressed confidence of winning the race because of their very warm support to UniTeam.
“Maraming salamat, mahal ko kayo, mahalin natin ang Pilipinas! Kapag sinabi ng mga Kapampangan na panalo na ang Bisaya, malakas ang loob ko mananalo ako! Maraming salamat,” Duterte said Both Marcos and Duterte read one of the placards from a supporter stating “excited na kaming pumunta ng EDSA para sa victory party.”
Walang iwanan
For his part, Marcos also expressed his deep gratitude to Arroyo, Pampanga’s officials, Kapampangans for the support they gave to UniTeam Friday night. “Maraming-maraming salamat Pampanga sa napaka-init na salubong na inyong ibinigay sa UniTeam at sa tambalang Marcos at Duterte. Basta’t magiging totoo ‘yan, basta’t walang iwanan! Walang iwanan dahil tayo ay nagkaisa na, totoo rin ‘yan, dapat siguro walang tulugan dahil alam naman natin ang daming mga nangyayari habang tayo ay natutulog, kaya’t magpapahanap ako ng katakot-takot na kape, ipapadala ko sa inyo para hindi na tayo matulog,” Marcos said.
“Alam niyo po, e dapat e gabi na dapat malamig-lamig na ang hangin, ngunit hindi na po natin maramdaman ‘yung lamig ng hangin dahil masyado pong mainit ang pagsalubong ninyo sa UniTeam. Tama ‘yan isigaw ninyo para maging maliwanag sa buong Pilipinas na dito sa Pampanga buo, solid ang suporta sa UniTeam at sa tambalang Marcos-Duterte!” Marcos stressed.
“Maraming salamat at kanina po, kanina pong may araw pa e tinitignan po namin, pinipicturan ng drone na napakaraming tao dito at sabi ko talaga naman magiging masaya ang ating rally dito sa Pampanga,” Marcos said.
Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and his runningmate Sara Duterte meet with Dr. Renato P Legaspi, chairman of the Central Luzon Volunteers Movement, and other political leaders in Pampanga Friday night.-MAR T SUPNAD
Tens of thousands of people troop to the Robinsons Starmills grounds in San Fernando City, Pampanga on Friday evening as a show of support to the Uniteam tandem of former senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos and running mate Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. Mar T. Supnad
