Mascots fill Col. Querubin's absence in campaign sorties

Detained Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, who is running for senator under the Nacionalista Party banner, may not be able to go to campaign sorties for now, but his presence can still be felt with the mascots his supporters made for him. On Saturday morning, when NP standard bearer Senator Manuel Villar Jr. and his running mate Senator Loren Legarda disembarked from the helicopter that brought them to Pangasinan from Manila, the public were surprised when one of those accompanying them was a man sporting a really big “head." When the unknown man edged closer to the crowd, they realized that he was not your regular campaign fellow but a mascot in Marine uniform with a nameplate that read "Querubin." The mascot shook hands with people and even flashed the Villar’s now-popular “check" hand sign, to the amazement of the children. The children then chanted "Querubin! Querubin!" The NP ticket brought with them the mascot to the Tent City, temporary relocation of victims of typhoon Pepeng in the province, and to the Villasis Sports Complex, introducing it as Col. Querubin then explaining the circumstances why the latter could not be with them. Querubin is currently detained at the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) headquarters on the charge of mutiny in connection with the February 2006 standoff at Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio. Martin, Querubin's son who has been representing him in the NP sorties, said the mascot costs less than P10,000. On the other hand, during NP's grand rally in Cebu last week, the crowd saw a man dressed as a warrior angel. Martin told GMANews.TV that the warrior-angel costume, which was made of rubber, was crafted by their supporters based in the province. The costume, which was the supporters' interpretation of a cherubim, costs only P4,000, the man wearing the costume said. Martin said he was thankful for the help of their supporters in campaigning for his father.—JV, GMANews.TV