By Raymund Antonio
On the second day of the campaign period, opposition senatorial candidates from "Otso Diretso" slate have chosen to hold their proclamation rally on Wednesday, February 13, in the province of Camarines Sur, a bailiwick of Vice President Leni Robredo.
This will be the first grand rally of the opposition Senate bets as part of its back-to-back campaign kick-off for the May 13 elections.
Senatoriables from Liberal Party’s Otso Diretso namely (left to right) Chel Diokno, Dinky Soliman (In place of Mar Roxas), Samira Gutoc, Bam Aquino, Florin Hilbay, Erin Tañada, Gary Alejano, and Romulo Macalintal Tuesday during the Ahon Laylayan event in the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City. (ALVIN KASIBAN / MANILA BULLETIN)
Otso Diretso organizer said that the eight candidates will arrive at the Naga airport at 7 a.m. They will start the day by holding a motorcade going to Iriga City, where they will have breakfast with the family of detained Senator Leila De Lima.
The opposition Senate bets would then proceed to St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church for a courtesy call with Monsignor Nono Sañada.
At 10 a.m., the Otso Diretso candidates will hold a dialogue with students of Zeferino Arroyo High School followed by a lunch meeting with Iriga city officials.
The opposition slate is composed of former Senator Mar Roxas, re-electionist Bam Aquino, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, lawyers Erin Tañada, Florin Hilbay, Romulo Macalintal, Chel Diokno, and Maranao civic leader Samira Gutoc.
At 4 p.m, they will visit the gravesite of the Vice President's husband and former Interior secretary Jesse Robredo at Eternal Gardens Memorial Park. He was mayor of Naga City for almost two decades.
The eight candidates will then have a motorcade going to Plaza Quezon, where Robredo will lead the proclamation rally.
Robredo, chairperson of the once-ruling Liberal Party, said in the run-up to the midterm polls, she will campaign hard for the Otso Diretso candidates.
Camarines Sur is a vote-rich province that has over a million registered voters for the upcoming elections in May. #MatalinongBoto2019