On its 64th anniversary, LP vows never to steal from people

"We will never steal from the people." This was the promise made on Tuesday by over 700 Liberal Party candidates and supporters led by standard bearer Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and his running mate Manuel Mar Roxas II during the party's 64th anniversary celebration at Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City. "Sumusumpa kami, gagawin namin ang tama, pahahalagahan ang katotohanan, at buong-talinong maglilingkod sa taumbayan. Sumusumpa kami na hinding-hindi kami magnanakaw (We vow to do what is right, give priority to the truth, and serve the Filipino with utmost wisdom. We promise never to steal)," the LP said in a manifesto read by LP Secretary General Joseph Emilio Abaya. During the event, Roxas praised Aquino for having a record that was unblemished by scandals and for his "ability to say no to himself and yes to national interest."

Among those present in the gathering were LP's senatorial bets, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, and hundreds of delegates from across the country who flooded the venue with a sea of yellow. The festive atmosphere, with throngs of supporters gamely clapping and cheering on their leaders, would at times be marked by reminiscing on the martial law period, an era ended by a popular uprising that catapulted Aquino's mother, former President Corazon Aquino, to power. Before the signing of the manifesto, senatorial candidate and former Senate President Franklin Drilon extolled Mrs. Aquino and past presidents who came from LP including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's father, Diosdado Macagapal. "Hindi po nagnakaw si Pres. Diosdado Macapagal. Huwag niyo na itanong ang ibang kamag-anak ni Diosdado Macapagal," Drilon said, eliciting laughter from the crowd. LP's Aquino and Roxas have been both consistent favorites among respondents of preferential surveys conducted by various poll firms including Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS). In the latest SWS presidential survey released January 21, Aquino continued to edge out his closest rival, Sen. Manuel "Manny" Villar Jr., in a one-on-one scenario with 52 percent of the respondents choosing the former. [See: SWS: Villar trims Aquino lead in one-on-one scenario] Roxas, who has earlier vowed during a press conference at the GMA Network Center to bare his bank assets to the public if he gets elected, was among the senators critical about Villar's ethics case on alleged double insertion in a road project funding. [See: Breakdown of decorum at Senate session on Villar]
The report of the Senate committee of the whole on the ethics case claimed that Villar should be censured for exerting influence on the Department of Public Works and Highways so that his properties would benefit from the alleged realignment of the C-5 Road Extension in the cities of Parañaque and Las Piñas. The committee also demanded Villar to return P6.22 billion his corporations allegedly gained from the C-5 road extension project. During Tuesday's LP anniversary celebration, Roxas once again took potshots at Villar, posing a question to the crowd, "Mayroon na bang tao na ginamit ang kanyang posisyon para magka-kalye sa kanyang lupa (Has there anyone who has used his or her position in government so that roads could be constructed in his or her property)?" The LP supporters who attended the event responded, "Check!" - with Mark Merueñas/LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV