FG’s brother Iggy joins Gibo in Negros Occidental sortie

For the third straight time this week, another member of the Arroyo family showed up at a political rally with administration party presidential bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr., seeking to dispel rumors that First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo is supporting another presidential bet. Rep. Ignacio “Iggy" Arroyo Jr., the First Gentleman’s younger brother, expressed support for Teodoro in a sortie in Negros Occidental. “The entire Lakas machinery will work doubly hard to ensure Teodoro’s victory," said Iggy Arroyo, who is currently running unopposed for a third term as congressman in the province’s fifth district. Iggy is the third member of the Arroyo family to join Teodoro in a sortie this week. Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey" Arroyo on Tuesday led local executives from Pampanga in rallying behind the Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet. (See: Mikey Arroyo leads Pampanga local execs in rallying behind Gibo) Last Tuesday, another presidential son, Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Ignacio “Dato" Arroyo joined Teodoro in a sortie in the province. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also ordered members of the ruling Lakas-Kampi party on Tuesday to intensify their campaign for Teodoro. (See: Lakas-Kampi clears unity issues, vows intensified campaign for Gibo) The show of support from Arroyo clan members came days after reports on the First Gentleman’s support for Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manuel Villar, Jr. came out. (See: NP, Villar deny Mike Arroyo link after Lakas defections) In an interview during Thursday’s political rally, Teodoro said it was only coincidence that three members of the Arroyo family had joined him this week, since his schedule has already been arranged beforehand. In the same sortie, the administration party standard-bearer likewise called for a dialogue among the former landowners and farmers to address the agrarian reform issues in Negros Occidental’s sugar lands. Based on latest data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Negros Occidental has more than 1.4 million voters, making it the most vote-rich province in the Western Visayas region. During the 2004 national elections, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was then administration party standard-bearer, won by about 200,000 votes against her closest rival, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV