Pacquiao arrives in GenSan; Darlene, pols won't join float

Unlike festivities in Manila City, local officials and candidates in General Santos City will not join Filipino sports icon and congressional bet Manny Pacquiao at his float during this Wednesday's victory motorcade in the boxer's hometown. Radio station dzBB reported that Pacquiao arrived at the General Santos airport at 8:45 a.m. on board a Philippine Airlines plane. As of posting time, he was speaking with his electoral rival South Cotabato Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio and other officials at the airport's VIP lounge. The radio report added that city executives and Custodio will merely tail Pacquiao's float during the motorcade using separate vehicles. It said Pacquiao will only be joined by his wife Jinky, mother Dionisia, father Rosalio and brother Rogel. In Manila a day earlier, local politicians flanked Pacquiao on board his float while their supporters handed out campaign materials to parade onlookers. Campaign jingles blared while the the convoy made its way around Manila's busy streets. Meanwhile, the dzBB report added that 300 tricycles were on standby outside the airport for the victory parade. Earlier reports said a 1,200-vehicle convoy would be part of the motorcade. Custodio, a scion of the influential Antonino clan, is seeking her third consecutive term as representative of the province's first district against the popular Pacquiao. The congresswoman gamely watched Pacquiao's conquest last Sunday (Manila time) over Mexican fighter Jorge Solis during a public viewing session at a gymnasium in General Santos. She has maintained that the "people's champ" was a hero of Filipinos around the world, but has added that the electorate can be the judge of her track record in Congress. - GMANews.TV