RIYADH, 26 March 2004 — Nine Filipino groups here have expressed support for the presidential bid of Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson in the forthcoming Philippine national election.

The groups were identified as the Calabarzon, the Kilusan Para sa Bayan (Movement for the Country), Ping Lacson for President Movement-Middle East, Bicol Federation, Bisayang Igsoon sa Saudi Arabya (Bisaya), San Miguel de Mayumo, Samahan ng mga Pilipinong OFW sa Batha, Association of Novo Ecijanos in the Middle East and Sinaiyah Workers’ Association (Riyadh Association — Industrial Area).

“These groups have expressed support during community meetings as well as during the visit of Senator Lacson in the Kingdom last year,” Calabarzon president of Benny M. Quiambao told Arab News yesterday.

Of the 357,187 overseas Filipinos who have been approved to vote in the first Philippine absentee voting exercise abroad, more than 90,000 are based in Saudi Arabia.

Seafarers began voting on March 11 while the land-based registrants will start casting their votes on April 11 for president, vice president, 12 senators and a party-list representative. Overseas voting will end on May 10, the day of election in the Philippines.

Apart from Lacson, the other presidential candidates are incumbent Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, main opposition standard bearer Fernando Poe Jr., Raul Roco of the Alliance of Hope, and evangelist Joey Villanueva.

Quiambao said leaders and representatives of the nine groups in Riyadh believe that of the five candidates, only Lacson can initiate reforms badly needed in the Philippines. Foremost of these needed reforms are the elimination of graft and corruption as well as red tape in the government, and the maintenance of peace and order, said Quiambao.

“What the country needs right now is firm leadership, which only Senator Lacson seems to be capable of providing,” he said.

Rival politicians, leftist activists and some of his former colleagues in the police service have tagged Lacson as a ruthless individual who has no respect for human rights. But he also has plenty of defenders who maintain that his performance as a police officer was more than sterling.

Lacson is best remembered by those who know him for busting a big-time criminal syndicate and arresting its leader, who was an army colonel, when Lacson was chief of the Cebu Metropolitan District Command in the late 80s.

He was also credited for dismantling numerous kidnap and robbery syndicates when he was head of a task force of the Presidential Anti-Crime Committee.

As chief of the national police, Lacson forced all police officers including generals to stop playing golf during office hours. He also forced those whose waistline exceeded 34 inches to undergo physical fitness training, and stopped the illegal use by officers of recovered stolen vehicles.

Quiambao said the Riyadh groups believe real reforms are necessary not only to encourage Filipinos to be more supportive of the government but also to attract foreigners to invest in the Philippines.

He added that Lacson has also shown that he honors his word.

“Of the public officials who visited the Kingdom two years ago and pledged for the “Barya Mo, Buhay Ko (Your Loose Change, My Life)” program , it was Lacson who has made good his pledge to donate. Of the P5 million pledge he made, he has given P2 million,” he said.

“Barya Mo Buhay Ko” is a joint effort of community groups, the Philippine Embassy, and POLO-OWWA to help stranded workers.