Press Release
December 7, 2009

LIBERAL PARTY SLAMS 'FOUL' TACTICS VS LOCAL ALLIES

The administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has resorted to bullying tactics to harass candidates of the Liberal Party in a bid to prevent its impending and embarrassing defeat in the 2010 synchronized elections, party officials decried Monday.

"Lahat ay gagawin ng administrasyon para manatili sa poder. Lahat, gagawin nila para mabawi ang mga dati nilang balwarte (The administration will stop at nothing to stay in power. They will do everything to regain their stranglehold on their old bailiwicks)," said LP President Sen. Mar Roxas, who is also the party's vice presidential candidate.

He added: "Patuloy na gumagamit ng maruruming taktika ang gobyernong ito upang takutin ang ating mga kandidato. Kitang-kita natin ito sa pagbuhay muli sa mga electoral protest laban sa mga kandidatong kaalyado ng Partido Liberal.(The government continues to use foul tactics, in an attempt to scare our candidates. This motive is very obvious in the revival of electoral protest cases against candidates who are allies with the Liberal party)."

The Visayan senator noted how Malacañang has maneuvered the rushing by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of the recount in the electoral protests against Pampanga Gov. Among Ed Panlilio, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca and Bulacan Gov. Jonjon Mendoza.

Panlilio is contesting a recall petition filed with the Comelec by losing gubernatorial bet and former Pampanga provincial board member Lilia Pineda, a known ally of President Arroyo. Pineda had accused Panlilio, a priest-turned-politician, of cheating in the electoral exercise. Panlilio has denied the accusation.

Padaca, on the other hand, has been accused by former Gov. Benjamin Dy of electoral fraud. News reports citing unidentified Comelec sources say the poll body's second division is set to release its ruling on the complaint tomorrow (Dec. 8) in favor of Dy.

The same Comelec division ruled against Mendoza in relation to the electoral protest filed by losing Bulacan gubernatorial candidate Roberto Pagdanganan. Mendoza is a brother of former Bulacan Gov. Josie dela Cruz, whose Partido del Pilar recently coalesced with the Liberal Party for the 2010 elections.

"Hindi tayo papayag na maghari itong vendetta politics sa buong bansa. Itong mga 'Islands of Hope' na nasimulan na ng mga lokal na opisyal na ito ay hindi puwedeng mabawi ng administrasyon ng ganid (We will not allow vendetta politics to reign in the whole country. The 'Islands of Hope' that these local officials have established should not be regained by an administration of greed)," Roxas said.

"Ang Partido Liberal ay nasa likod ng mga lokal na opisyal na iniipit ngayon ng administrasyong Arroyo. Ang laban na tapat ay laban ng lahat (The Liberal Party is behind these local officials who are being backed against the wall by the Arroyo administration. The fight for what is right is the fight of all)," Roxas added.

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