No ifs and buts: Cesar Montano running for senator

Actor-turned-politician Cesar Montano on Wednesday said he would continue to seek a seat in the Senate despite gaining less than favorable survey ratings and admittedly lacking campaign funds. "Tuloy tuloy pa rin po ang laban ni Cesar Montano para sa kapakanan ng Sambayanang Pilipino (Cesar Montano's fight will continue for the interest of the Filipino people)," Montano said at press conference in Quezon City. Montano's announcement came on the same day Pulse Asia released the results of its February 28 to March 5 survey, which showed the action star landing 19th to 22nd slot with a rating of 15.1%. He was the replacement candidate of the administration's Team Unity after former Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla backed out of the senatorial race. "Hindi po kami aatras. Aarya po kami para sa tagumpay ng masa (We will not back down. We will keep on moving so the masses would triumph)," Montano said. Reli German, campaign manager for Team Unity, was at the Annabel's restaurant along Tomas Morato Avenue when Montano issued the statements. Citing separate sources inside the Team Unity camp, GMA News recently reported that Montano was on his way out of the administration lineup as shown by his week-long absence at the campaign trail. Montano has long been reported as eyeing the governorship of his home province of Bohol. He admitted losing millions of pesos in commercial endorsements as a result of his decision to run, although his handlers earlier denied that private businesses were telling the action star to quit his political dreams. - GMANews.TV