GASCON: NP SPREADING LIES 

The Nacionalista Party has again been caught lying in its continued attempt to portray a growing grassroots support to buoy its lackluster campaign for the May 10 national and local elections.  

Liberal Party Director General Chito Gascon stressed the LP remains solid, as he belied NP’s claim that some 300 Liberals in Mindanao have defected to the camp of Manuel Villarroyo.  

Gascon said contrary to the misinformation fed by the NP, the alleged LP members who took their oaths as new Nacionalistas were never issued legitimate certificates of nomination by the LP national leadership.  

“They were never considered as official LP Candidates. They were independent candidates who applied for LP nomination but were not granted,” he said, citing, among others, Roger Patanao (gubernatorial candidate), Mercedez Atupan (vice gubernatorial candiate), and Jovette Calo (congressional candidate) from Agusan del Norte.  

In fact, he said the candidates are listed as “independent” in the Commission on Election’s official roster of candidates for the May 10 elections.  

“Kahit mag-check pa sa Comelec, makikitang hindi mga LP ang mga kandidatong ito kundi mga independents. Nananatiling matatag ang Partido Liberal (Even if they check with Comelec, they will find out that these candidates are not registered as LP’s but as independents),” he stressed.  

Also, Gascon dispelled the claim that 11 LP incumbent local executives in Surigao del Norte have jumped to NP, because there are no incumbent LP mayors in Surigao del Norte in the first place.  

He added that Mayor Bebe Hitgano of Trento, Agusan Del Sur, Vice Mayor Martin Heje of Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, and Vice Mayor Antonio Petalcorin of Rosario, Agusan del Sur could not have defected from the LP to the NP – because these candidates have been with the NP since November 2009.  

“Well, what can we say? Another double insertion! They’re recycling their own oath-takers, just to make the public believe that they’re gaining ground,” he said.   

 “The Liberal Party remains intact. The LP remains solid. Hindi matitinag ng kahit ano pang kasinungalingan ang puwersa ng reporma (The forces of reform will not be shaken by any lie),” he stressed.

03-04-2010