Iloilo City- A revelation that Antique Lakas members should fonder upon.

            During his visit to his Alma matter, University of the Philippines (UP) Iloilo City campus, January 18, administration party presidential aspirant, Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro acknowledged his indebtedness to two Antiqueños who first believe in him: Governor Salvacion Z. Perez and former Department of Energy Secretary Rafael Perpetuo “Popo” Lotilla, by then a college of law professor.

            “I would also like to greet, also a person who is responsible for my entry to UP College of Law, now Governor Sally Perez. She was then the Executive Assistant of then UP President Edgardo Angara, whom I owed my stint at the UP College of Law too.

            Teodoro, an idealist of the Marcos regime who did not make it to the law course entrance exam, had Sally Perez, then executive assistant interceded for him to Edgardo Angara persuading the latter to admit him to the class. Angara acceded, and reportedly said to him, “Huwag mo akong ipahiya.”

            Speaking before the militant students of the premier state university, Teodoro unabashedly described his former ideological leanings:

            “I entered UP at 1985, at the height of the anti-Marcos campaign. My family was closely identified with the late President and I was a youth leader of the Kabataang Barangay during this time so I actively supported his election campaign. After EDSA, I was demoralized and afraid to go to class. I wasn’t going to school. But a lot of my classmates, ardent anti-Marcos activists, together with a few professors brought me back to school and said, “We’re classmates. You’re a part of UP. Study now. Don’t worry.” One of the professors who called me up and was really ardent anti-Marcos, he was from Antique. His name was Popo Lotilla.

            Little did, if ever the local Lakas ranks Antique know that Teodoro’s visit during the Binirayan Festival, joining the maharlika (royal) entourage during the Biray segment of the festival that he was already mulling with Gov. Perez his entry to the Presidential derby.