'Iggy' Arroyo admits meeting Loren but denies endorsing her

Presidential brother-in-law Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio ‘Iggy’ Arroyo on Thursday admitted meeting vice presidential bet Senator Loren Legarda Wednesday evening but denied endorsing her. However, his girlfriend, Grace Ibuna, and his partymates have expressed support for the bid of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and Nacionalista Party candidate Thursday morning. In a phone interview with reporters, Arroyo, brother of First Gentleman Jose Miguel ‘Mike’ Arroyo, said he just chanced upon Legarda at the lobby of a hotel Wednesday. “Alam mo naman sa politics sometimes nagkikita ka lang akala me usapan na kayo. It would undiplomatic of me if I wouldn’t even say hello," he said. (You know how it is in politics — when you encounter people they think you already have a meeting.) He assured that he is still supporting the candidacy of Lakas-Kampi vice presidential bet Edu Manzano. In 2003, Arroyo said he was Jose Pidal, owner of the controversial multi-million peso bank accounts, which Senator Panfilo Lacson claimed was used by the First Gentleman to launder money. Legarda’s original schedule of the sortie in the province includes a meeting with Arroyo on Thursday but it was scrapped at the last minute. The senator instead met with her friend Ibuna Thursday morning. GMANews.TV was disallowed from talking with Ibuna, saying she is from the private sector and not a candidate. The two went to a mini-rally at Isabela City attended by incumbent mayors and vice mayors of the 5th district of the province. The event was organized by Board Member Melvin Ibañez of Lakas-Kampi, Arroyo’s friend. During the rally, Ibuna even sang "I Won't Last A Day Without You" with Legarda. "Sobrang pagmamahal ko sayo first time ko kumanta in public, hindi ko ito ginawa para kay Cong (Arroyo)," she told the senator. (I love you so much that this is the first time I sang in public. I wasn’t able to do this for Congressman.) In a separate interview with GMANews.TV, Ibanez said he crossed party lines for Legarda. Local officials remain supportive of the senator because “she has brought numerous projects to the province," he said. He is a member of United Negros Alliance which is composed of NP, NPC, and Lakas Kampi members in the province. “Umapela siya sa akin kung pwedeng tulungan ko sya in my own personal capacity as an incumbent board member, deep inside sa mayors namin OK si Sen Loren kasi maraming tulong talaga na naibigay dito sa distrito," he said. (She asked me if I could help her in my personal capacity as an incumbent board member. Deep inside, the mayors here believe that she’s alright because she has provided a lot of help to the district.) He clarified that his support for Legarda is his personal choice and he cannot speak for the whole party or even Rep Arroyo. “I don’t know kung ano ang personal choice niya (Rep. Arroyo) but he has to tow the line because he is a partyman. I myself am a partyman but nagrequest si Sen Loren na samahan ko siya sa distrito namin," Ibanez said. Legarda, for her part, was elated with the support of the local officials. “Sa kanila na ang surveys, sa akin ang warm bodies that means sa akin ang boto," the senator said. Negros Occidental is the fourth most vote-rich province in the country with 1.55 million voters. - RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV