Genuine Oppostion to bring senatorial candidates with poor ratings in latest surveys to areas where they are least known

By Ronron
March 16, 2007

The Genuine Opposition (GO) will bring its senatorial candidates to areas where they are least known as shown by their standing in latest surveys.

In a press conference Friday, GO campaign manager San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito said they will also adapt a new strategy, which is to campaign individually for most of the week, and hold one or two sorties in a week in key cities or provinces.

“We are very confident we have a big possibility that all our candidates will make it,” Ejercito said.

Of the 11 senatorial candidates under the GO ticket, nine made it to the top 17 list in the latest survey of Pulse Asia. Those not included are Antonio Trillanes IV and former Senator Anna Dominic Coseteng.

Trillanes remains in detention at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City as he stands on trial at a civilian and a military court for his alleged involvement in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, while Coseteng admits she has decided not to spend much for her campaign materials but resorts instead to holding personal dialogue with the people.

Asked how is the group helping Trillanes’ campaign, Coseteng revealed in the same press conference that she willingly allows the resigned military officer’s staff to join her sortie and give out leaflets and other campaign materials of Trillanes.

Ejerito said they are also planning a special activity for Trillanes to make up for his absence, especially that the officer is well-loved by the public. He did not elaborate.

The Makati City court trying Trillanes’ case of coup d’ etat has earlier denied his plea to give media interviews inside his detention facility for security and judicial reasons.

GO candidate former Senator John Osmeña told reporters in the same briefing that he had told his contacts in Cebu his desire that the whole GO slate win in his home province. And he said he always make special mention of Trillanes as he finds the latter admirable for his conviction.

Trillanes has so far only resorted to campaigning through his family, relatives, friends and the use of internet./DMS