Otso Diretso bets believe Noynoy's presence in Cebu sortie to bolster their campaign

MANDAUE CITY - Senatorial candidates under the Otso Diretso opposition coalition are optimistic that the presence of former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III in their second campaign stop in Cebu will bolster their chances to win more votes in the province for the May 2019 elections.

Members of the opposition senatorial slate returned to Cebu on Monday for a two-day series of campaign activities just a month after their previous visit, and Aquino is set to grace some of their campaign events in the vote-rich province on Tuesday.

Otso Diretso bets Florin Hilbay and Erin Tañada join Gutoc in their multi-sectoral dialogue here in Mandaue City, Cebu. @gmanews pic.twitter.com/sJJ79lvqRx

— Erwin Colcol (@erwincolcol) March 25, 2019

In an ambush interview with reporters here, former Solicitor General and senatorial candidate Florin Hilbay said Aquino's continuously strong political influence even after his presidency will help them gain more ground in Cebu which has about 3 million voters.

"We believe that the former president is still a powerful political force especially in Cebu. I think nanalo siya dito when he ran for the presidency," Hilbay said.

"We're trying to collate all the forces of the opposition to be able to project strength dito sa Cebu. I think napakaimportante na makasama namin si dating Pangulong Noynoy Aquino dahil malakas siya dito sa Cebu," he added.

For Marawi civic leader and senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc, the support of the former chief executive is one of their advantages against the administration-allied candidates.

"The administration have the advantage of government machinery. We have former presidents behind us like PNoy, and that is the strength of Otso Diretso, 'yung tao at ang mga naunang leaders who believe in the country's greatest," she said.

Former congressman and senatorial candidate Erin Tañada, however, believes that the cases in which Aquino is currently involved, such as that of the Dengvaxia vaccination program, will not be disadvantageous to the slate.

"'Yung mga kasong 'yun ay pinaiimbestigahan na ng DOJ [Department of Justice]. Meron nang kaso na sinampa na sa korte so iwanan na natin sa korte ang desisyon. Sa tingin namin, 'yan ay pagbabatayan sa mga ebidensiya na ihaharap ng mga nagrereklamo sa kaniya," he said.

"Pero para sa amin, hangga't wala pang matibay na ebidensiya, walang desisyon pa, 'yan ay magpapatunay na wala namang ginagawa ang ating Pangulo na masama. Ang hangarin ng ating dating Pangulo ay para sa interes ng ating mamamayan," he added.

Apart from Hilbay, Gutoc and Tañada, human rights lawyer and senatorial candidate Chel Diokno is also in Cebu for campaign activities, while Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano sent Elmer Cruz, a nominee of their party, to represent him.

The candidates held multi-sectoral dialogues in Barangay Labogon in Mandaue City and Barangay Pulpogan in Consolacion town before proceeding to an election forum at the University of San Carlos. —KG, GMA News