DESPITE LTO RESTRICTIONS

NOTWITHSTANDING that the buses and jeepneys they contracted the day before backed out because of the threat of apprehension and revocation of their licenses by the Land Transportation Office, supporters of Vice President Leni Rodredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan still made it to the Talindeg: Pangasinan People’s Rally at the CSI parking lot and helipad on April 8.

Kakampink organizers said supporters and volunteers from various towns and cities of Pangasinan swelled to 60,000 by 7:00 p.m. and before the Leni-Kiko rally drew to a close at 9:20 p.m., the crowd estimate was around 76,000, considered as the biggest assembly of people this election.

Many believed it to be twice as big as the combined crowd earlier generated separately by  Mayor Isko Moreno Domogoso and former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos sometime last month.

Addressing the crowd, Robredo asked: “Sino ba sa inyo ang walang bus na sasakyan?” Some in the crowd raised their hands: “Kami” Then she asked: “Ano ba ang dahilan kaya wala kayong masakyan? And the reply was a loud “LTO”.

Robredo said she became concerned while at the Villasis rally because of reports that reached her that her supporters were prevented from proceeding to Dagupan because the LTO prevented buses and jeepneys from commuting passengers to Dagupan, threatening drivers of revocation of licenses if they operate off-line.

In an announcement, the LTO said they will only allow public utility vehicles to commute passengers outside of their regular lines if they have the permit from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to do it.

Robredo said she was honored that despite the difficulties to reach Dagupan many still managed to join the rally to show “your love to the cause we are fighting for”.

The rally organizers considered the LTO move as a selective harassment because the policy was not imposed on other candidates’ rallies in different parts of the country.

When Robredo recalled how she lost heavily to Marcos Jr. in Pangasinan. In the 2006 elections, the crowd shouted: “ Babawi kami, Babawi kami”.

A group of Marcos supporters reportedly disrupted the Leni-Kiko rally in Villasis by making cat calls and hoisting their placards.

Reacting to it, Robredo said “Kung gusto nating talaga ang pagkakaisa, dapat muna nating irespeto ang ating sarili at ang iba.”

Robredo also spoke before educators and students of the University of Pangasinan before motoring to Lingayen to pay a courtesy call on Gov. Amado Espino III and members of the provincial board before proceeding to Bani town for another rally hosted by Mayor Gwen Palafox Yamamoto.

Before the Dagupan rally, convenors of the Isambayanan led by retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio held a press conference at Matutina Restaurant. (Leonardo Micua)

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