Exclusive from SARANGANI, Philippines, May 4, 2010 – Facing a dire choice of mounting an offensive
campaign, Roy Chongbian heralds a stealth assault against Pound-for-Pound King Manny Pacquiao geared to win the hearts of the Sarangani voters and to avoid a disastrous default in the electoral process. Both Pacquiao and Chongbian are on fire for the congressional contest, this May 10, in the lone district of Sarangani, Philippines.
In an exclusive telephone interview with Associated Content, Chongbian says “the people of Sarangani are not going to sell their votes”. He says his campaign has already reached out the voters in the hinterlands and has captured the grassroots who understand what Sarangani needs.
“The right of suffrage of the Sarangani voters should be exercised freely, safely and intelligently whether inside or outside of voting precincts. And this includes ensuring the people’s enjoyment of their right to suffrage without fear of harassment,” Chiongbian opines.
“Yes, the people of Sarangani have felt the urgency to choose the right man to become the next lawmaker from Sarangani, not on the basis of one’s best performance in boxing, and the people understand very well and will do what South Cotabato did in 2007 election, and they understand they will not sell their votes,” says the top executive of the family-owned shipping lines and the younger brother of the last termer Congressman Erwin Chongbian.
Both are the sons of the late Congressman, James L. Chiongbian, who penned Republic Act No. 7228, which made Sarangani an independent province apart of South Cotabato in 1992. His wife, Priscilla L. Chiongbian is the retired Governor of Sarangani.
“I just want to remind the media and the camp of Manny Pacquiao that Sarangani’s political right of suffrage is not for sale,” Chongbian declares.
Chongbian says he is “not convinced by the results of the survey” being done by the Investigative Agency of Journalists in recent weeks.
“The credibility of the survey depends upon who conducted the survey and who financed it,” says the younger Chongbian whose rating goes up from 30% to 33% in a span of 12 days since April 24, with a margin of
sampling error +/-3 while Pacquiao goes up as well from 65% to 66%, with the same margin of sampling error, and the undecided voters’ percentage drops from 4% to 1%, which is based on the follow-up survey being conducted Wednesday. “But, let us wait on the day after the day of elections.”
Meanwhile, Manny Pacquiao remains confident that his rating in the survey speaks itself that the people of Sarangani are already tired of the Chongbian Dynasty.
“The people want new leadership in the congressional district of Sarangani,” says Pacquiao. “And they want to have their own hospital, good education for their children and livelihood projects especially that we are having an economic crisis. The people need help, not just talk.”
The Chongbian dynasty has reigned in Sarangani for over 20 years.
