Tuloy ang Laban

Money isn't everything, says GO senatorial candidate Sonia Roco, as she attributes her steady rise in the surveys to what she calls the "sheer sincerity"of her election campaign, and of promoting the advocacies of her late husband, former senator Raul Roco.

"Gusto kong pumasok sa pulitika dahil may misyon ako, hindi para gumamit ng pera," Roco told reporters who covered her campaign in Bicol, Raul Roco's home region. "Kung tutuusin, ang legal requirement—yung legal, ha?—is P120 million per candidate and P120 million for the party. That's P240 million. E saan ka kukuha ng pera na ganoon na legal at hindi rin imoral? Lalo na ngayon na sinasabi ng statistics na maraming gutom. Saan ang ating social conscience?"

Despite her logistical limitations, Mrs. Roco has landed within striking distance of the latest polls, as she herself has noted. "Kaya hindi puwedeng tumataas ka sa survey—at hindi ito dahil sa pera, at lumalakas pa yata loob ko--ay ngayon pa magwiwithdraw? I will continue the fight until the end. Hanggang mabilang ang mga boto. Hanggang panalo tayong lahat. So paki-correct itong news na hindi naman news." She was alluding to unverified reports yesterday about her sliding down to the congressional race when she happened to be campaigning in Raul Roco's home province of Camarines Sur.

"Hindi ko type ang hindi tinutuloy ang laban," said Mrs. Roco, asserting that she was continuing with her senatorial bid. "Yan ang natutunan ko kay Raul Roco. Ituloy ang laban hanggang sa katapusan."