Revillame endorses Mike, Anabelle Says no politics in show prizes

POPULAR TV show host Willie Revillame gave assurances that politics was not involved in the handing of prizes in the show he organized at the Plaza Independencia last Saturday evening. Revillame, is supporting Team Rama. Thousands of people flocked to the variety show in Plaza Independencia last Saturday evening hoping to get freebies from the celebrity like what he does in the noontime TV show Wowowillie that airs on TV 5. But the prizes -- that includes cash, cellphones and jackets – that he gave last Saturday evening were not from reelectionist Mayor Michael Rama nor showbiz personality Anabelle Rama who is running for Cebu City's south district congressional seat. Gregoria Casille, 63, said a woman who told here that somebody will list names of participants to qualify for a raffle that would give cash prizes. Casille was waiting for the show since 9 a.m. She said she skipped lunch to make sure she gets a slot in the raffle. A group of senior citizens milled at the back of the stage on the hope they would be enlisted for the raffle draw. But Dr. Lucille Mercado, chairman of Gasa ( Garbo Asenso Sumbanan Alyansa) said the raffle draw was not in the program. What they did, she said was give priority to senior citizens in the front row. Ireny Canama, 75, widow, walked from Martires Street to Plaza Independencia at 8 a.m. Hoping to get a chance for her to have the chance to join the games and possible win cash prizes. “I only came here for Wowowillie show so that the cash prize that I will get can help me to buy food for my family.” By 7:30 p.m. crowd control became a problem as the audience started getting restless and wanted to get nearer the stage. Revillame showed up around 10 p.m. or an hour before the show cum political campaign ended. /Michelle Joy L. Padayhag, Correspondent with Silliman University Intern Kristine Fernandez