A BISHOP from the Bicol region led a peaceful prayer rally dubbed as “Dasal para kay Rosal” over the weekend to support Governor Noel E. Rosal and Legazpi City Mayor Geraldine Rosal for a “beautiful province” of Albay.
Bishop Joel Baylon of the Diocese of Legazpi City graced the peaceful rally along with more than 25,000 supporters at the Peñaranda Park, saying Albayanons had already decided who to elect last election.
“Let the will of the people prevail, and let’s go to work for a progressive Albay. The election is already done here. The people has already chosen their leaders so let’s stop politicking,” Baylon said.
“The Church has joined the people today to support the leaders they chose.”
A parade of banners and tarpaulins with messages of support were also seen carried by thousands of supporters from various barangays and municipalities during a peaceful rally.
Thye were praying for divine intervention to reverse the Commission on Election’s disqualification case against the elected governor and his mayor-wife.
“The entire community have expressed their support to the leaders they know who will serve them. Our governor here is doing his best to find solution to fight illegal quarrying, put up hospitals in some areas and make projects for the people,” Baylon said.
The COMELEC, according to reports, disqualified Rosal from the provincial electoral race last month for violating the 45-day ban on the release of public funds by government agencies for social welfare projects, particularly the approval of cash assistance to tricycle drivers in April.
According to a Rappler report, Mayor Geraldine Rosal was also disqualified for the same offense last October 4, just two weeks after the first division of Comelec disqualified her husband.
Baylon added however that they would always respect the law, but he is praying true justice will prevail for the benefit of the entire 469,481 Filipinos who voted for Governor Rosal and wife Mayor Geraldine.
“My message to our political leaders is we will always respect the law, the law which stands for the truth, that respect and love the dignity of one another. There are many things that can cause us divided or may turn against one another. But the loser in the end will be the people of this land,” he added.
Despite the peaceful rally, the people that attended had a strong message, some saying they know who are the true people behind the ongoing battle of their beloved governor and Legazpi City mayor.
“We are praying for divine intervention from God to reverse that ruling. We cannot allow to lose the people’s governor who really serves us,” Tabaco City Councilor Oden Berces of first district said. “He is the real governor of Albay.”
“He is the only governor who visits the tiny islands of Tabaco, according to the people there, and he’s very approachable. He also reorganized the hospital here to help the people,” Berces added.
A 70-year-old retired teacher, Rose Ajero, who joined the rally, said they love the governor because of his great environment advocacy to limit the quarrying activities around Albay to prevent the catastrophe that happened way back 2006.
“The people of Albay don’t want a repeat of that tragic calamity in 2006 when typhoon Reming hits the town of Padang, where many have perished because of illegal quarrying,” Ajero said. “We know the bad effect of illegal quarrying.”
“We know who are behind this issue and we’re asking them to just take care of their issues, the scandals they’ve been, because our governor and mayor here are working hard as true public servants,” she added.
The supporters of the husband and wife governor and mayor believe that the issues were absolutely political and baseless.
The first-time governor and the mayor will continue to function as an elected heads of the province and the city until the court orders them with finality to vacate their positions, according to Rosal’s social media account.