INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

(UPDATE 3) Cesar Montano won’t drop senatorial bid

INQUIRER.net

Joel Guinto

MANILA, Philippines -- Movie actor Cesar Montano is not dropping his senatorial bid in the May midterm elections.

Montano, who is running under the administration's TEAM Unity slate, made the announcement Wednesday at a news conference in Quezon City where he was accompanied by his wife and actress Sunshine Cruz.

At the same time, Montano said that he was also assured of financial support by fellow candidates in the administration ticket amid reports that the actor had complained of the lack of funds for his campaign.

But Montano stressed on Wednesday that with or without funds, he would pursue his candidacy.

“May pera man o wala, tuloy ang pagkandidato ni Montano sa Senado [With or without funds, Montano will still run for the Senate],” the actor said, adding, “Tuloy ang laban ni Cesar Montano para sa bayan [Cesar Montano’s fight for the country will continue].”

Asked if he had considered backing out of the senatorial race, Montano said: "Di ko idedeny yan, napagisip-isip ako. Nagpalakas ng loob ko ang TEAM Unity [I will not deny that. I thought about it. But TEAM Unity had encouraged me]."

Montano lamented that he had lost "a huge sum of money" after his candidacy forced the cancellation of his commercial endorsements and movie projects, including one that would have been shot abroad.

"Pero ito ay hindi ko pinagsisisihan [But I don't regret this]," he said.

Montano acknowledged that television commercials were "very important" in a national campaign and that he "couldn’t imagine" where to find the money to produce one.

But Montano said he would rather spend the money intended for the political advertisement, which could cost up to P500 million, on the country's "pressing problems."

"It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, knowing that a child dies at the PGH [Philippine General Hospital] due to lack of medicine," he said.

Asked about his absence on the campaign trail, Montano said: "After two weeks, I had to think hard about what I should do."

He also belied reports that Secretary Gabriel Claudio, presidential political adviser, had promised him up to P200 million to bankroll his campaign.

"The administration did not promise to give me P200 million, P100 million, P50 million or whatever amount and I have not received and I have not been receiving [money]," he said.

"Ang suporta ng TEAM Unity, hindi nasusukat sa ganyan [The support of TEAM Unity cannot be measured in those terms]," he said.

Montano said the party had been helping mostly in logistics for his campaign sorties.

Montano said Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, who is seeking reelection in May, had also asked him to seek the gubernatorial post in the 2010 elections.

Montano was a last-minute replacement for Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla, who withdrew his candidacy for senator after deciding to seek reelection in his province.

Originally posted at 12:38 pm

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