Noynoy: Ampatuan presscon may have backfired

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino on Friday said the attempt to sabotage his candidacy through the kiss-of-death endorsement of Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. failed because the relatives of the victims of the November 23 massacre in Maguindanao do not believe the mayor's expression of support. Aquino said he met with the relatives of the victims at his house in Quezon City Thursday, and was told they “saw through" the claims Andal Jr., the prime suspect in the grisly November 23 massacre in Ampatuan town. “Kahapon kausap ko ang mga pamilya ng victims ng Maguindanao massacre. It was heartwarming to note that none of them believed, and that all of them saw the really amateurish attempt at trying to derail our campaign. So kumbaga lalong tumaas ang resolve nila na tulungan ang ating kampanya (I talked to the victims Thursday. It was heartwarming to note none of them believed Ampatuan’s claims and that all of them saw through the amateurish attempt at trying to derail our campaign. They affirmed their resolve to help me in my campaign)," he said in an interview with reporters here. He said many of those at the meeting even promised to intensify their campaigning for him, especially after Ampatuan’s press conference in Taguig City last Tuesday. Last Tuesday, Andal Jr. held a press conference at a police facility he is being detained and claimed he is endorsing Aquino’s presidential bid. Aquino rejected the endorsement, calling it a “joke." Meanwhile, Aquino said it is not enough for authorities to punish only the deputy jail warden at the Metro Manila District Jail for Tuesday’s press conference. “Kawawa dito low man on the totem pole yan ang na-sacrifice dito (I pity the low man on the totem pole, he ended up being the sacrifice)," he said. — LBG, GMANews.TV