MANILA - An official of a workers’ party-list group warned they may make a move in Negros Occidental similar to what University of Philippines professor Randy David is mulling in Pampanga – run against an Arroyo.

“It may be David versus Gloriath in the second district of Pampanga but in Negros, it will be an Obrero versus Haciendero Arroyo,” said Teofilo Agravante Jr., Partido ng Manggagawa (PM)-Negros chairperson in a statement.

Agravante said that since it may not be possible for the workers of the Negros province to directly support David’s possible fight against President Arroyo in Pampanga, he said they would launch their “war” on another place where the Arroyos rule.

He said that PM-Negros is considering the fielding of a candidate for the lower House seat for the fifth district of Negros Occidental against incumbent congressman Iggy Arroyo. Rep. Arroyo is the younger brother of First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.

The PM statement said it would be a “realization of class struggle between a representative of the big capitalist landowners and the workers” albeit in an unorthodox manner.

“For the workers and the poor to end the cycle of poverty and gain political freedom in the region, a radical change must be instituted. This may be a long, long way but changes must be initiated nonetheless, and participating in electoral struggle is an arena of battle for the working class,” said Agravante in the statement.

The statement also said that “seemingly formidable Goliaths in the bastion of sugar industry could be vanquished by the Davids of a united working class.”

“Labor power in mass struggles must be translated to labor votes. Votes that for a long period of time have been lent by the workers and poor to the trapos must now be cast for the true representatives of the working class, either through direct election or through a party-list system,” Agravante concluded.

David declared Saturday that President Arroyo will not be able to get Pampanga's second district on a silver platter if she decides to run in 2010.

Quest

"Ipinapangako ko lamang na hindi magiging madali kay Pangulong Arroyo. Hindi niya makukuha ang segunda distrito on a silver platter (I promise that it will not be easy for President Arroyo. She will not get the second district [of Pampanga] on a silver platter)," David said during an interview over radio dzMM on Saturday.

The professor admitted that it would not be easy for him to block Mrs. Arroyo's rumored plan to run for a seat in Congress, and that it seemed "a quixotic quest... probably foolish," but he promised that he will do everything "to make that difficult for her."

David, who is also a newspaper columnist, said he is planning on joining the congressional race as part of his advocacy, to put a stop to Mrs. Arroyo and her administration's reign over the country.

He said he believes rumors that Mrs. Arroyo will make her seat in Congress as a stepping stone to stay in power as prime minister, under a parliamentary government.

"Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit natin sasarhan ang pintuang binubuksan nilang iyan sa pamamagitan ng con-ass (Constituent assembly) (That is the reason why I want to close that window that they (administration) want to open through con-ass)," the professor said.

He said he believes he has a good chance if he runs against a Goliath, who has the advantage of the incumbency and "unlimited resources at her disposal."

The professor said that he will put off his plan if Mrs. Arroyo decides not to run. He said he also has no intentions of challenging Mrs. Arroyo’s son, Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo in the elections.

"Worthy opponent"

Cabinet Secretary Silvertre Bello told reporters at a press briefing in Malacañang that the political clash between the professor and Mrs. Arroyo is like "David versus Goliath."

"But that does not mean we are confirming David’s winning over Goliath this time," Bello added. "I am very confident about it, that she is extremely popular in her place.”

Bello added that David would be a "worthy opponent" of Mrs. Arroyo, and Malacañang welcomes his intention to join the political fray.

He said David's intention to run against Mrs. Arroyo is "normal human craving" to challenge a heavyweight.

“People would want to challenge the heavyweight, not the lightweight, because if you win over the lightweight, your victory is meaningless,” Bello said.

LP, Trillanes support

The leadership of the country's oldest political party said Friday that it will back David if he decides to challenge Mrs. Arroyo in the 2010.

“Magandang ideya iyan. Hindi mag-aatubili ang liderato ng LP na gawing official candidate si Prof. Randy David para kalabanin si GMA sa Pampanga,” Sen. Manuel Roxas, who is also Liberal Party president, said.

"We will support him and back him 100 percent. We believe that Ka Randy has the ability and will make a good representative of the district," he added.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan also welcomed David's plan, saying that the congressional race will be a fight between David and Goliath.

“As a fellow Cabalen, we welcome all efforts at providing real alternatives to politics as usual. This will be a fight between David and ‘Glorialath’; a fight between the politics of genuine change, and the politics of ‘more of the same,'" he said in a statement.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said he will extend "all-out support" to Randy David should the newspaper columnist push through with his plan to run for Congress against President Arroyo.

"Our collective mission, as a people, should be to completely remove all vestiges of the Arroyo administration in the coming elections so that our country can finally start its rebuilding process," Trillanes said in statement issued Saturday.