Despite attempts from the local opposition to show dominance in the quest for voters? support in the May 10 elections, re-electionist Mayor Celso Lobregat and his Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Adelante Zamboanga (LDP-AZaP) team continues to enjoy the overwhelming trust and confidence of Zamboanguenos in almost all barangays in the city.

This is evident in the warm reception given to Lobregat and his team mates by barangay folks during house to house campaigns and the hordes of people who flock to witness the rallies alternately staged by the red team in District I and II nightly. Endorsements from different groups such as the Fish Vendors Association Multi-Purpose Cooperative, the Fish Brokers Association including party list groups have been pouring in.

In Pasonanca Monday night, thousands of residents trooped to the LDP-AZaP rally site and even braved rain showers just to listen the red team candidates speak. Huge crowd of people likewise gathered in the rallies held in Baliwasan Sunday night, in Mampang Saturday night, in Bolong Friday night, in Recodo, Sinunuc and all the other areas barnstormed by the red team earlier.

?You can really see the difference?people meet Mayor Lobregat and his candidates anxiously and happily. The positive response that they give to the red team is genuine and not pretentious?, Recodo barangay chairman Boy Aminullah observed.

In Bolong, supporters of Mayor Lobregat said they despise opposition mayoralty candidate Mannix Dalipe and his team, as they described the group to be sowing politics of deception and lies.

?They have been making all sort of promises and even capitalize on the poor and the bad image of the city to gain votes?, Annabelle Reyes of Bolong said in chabacano. ?Can Dalipe fulfill these? He has not done anything for the city and now he is full of promises?.

Overwhelmed by the growing support to him, his running mate Cesar Iturralde, Congressional bets Beng Climaco (LP) of District I and Erbie Fabian (NP) of District II and the council aspirants in both districts under the red team, Mayor Celso Lobregat urged his multitude of supporters to go out and vote on May 10 to truly translate the expression of support into votes.

Last week, a pre-election survey, conducted by the ASM Consultancy and Research Group, an independent firm from Quezon City showed that Lobregat and Iturralde, congressional aspirants Climaco and Fabian including majority of the council aspirants under the LDP-AZaP are the most preferred candidates among the different sectors of the city.

The survey, conducted March 25-30 covered 3,000 respondents who were asked the question ?si este dia el eleccion, con quien ustedes eleji para congressman, mayor, vice mayor y consejales para servi na ciudad de Zamboanga??. The survey results, however, despite submission to local dailies did not see print for unknown reasons. Yesterday, newspapers carried a banner story saying that another survey yielded results favorable Dalipe?s team.

Unfazed, Mayor Lobregat said the true results will be known May 10 and called on his opponents and their supporters to just wait for the May 10 elections.

A Lobregat supporter from Mampang, Randy Siasico said no matter how Dalipe and his supporters try to condition the minds of the people, the sentiments of the majority of the residents go out for Mayor Lobregat. ?Manada ele kosa ya puede ase, probao y aprobao ya ele, natural conele el maga gente suporta?.

Vice Mayoralty bet Iturralde said the people know who is working hard for the city of Zamboanga and who is merely playing politics for his own interests. ?Let us just wait for May 10?.

One LDP supporter said he is amazed at the people?s response in every rally that the LDP-AZaP team conducts in the barangays.

?Bien manada hente ta anda y hinde sila ta sale maskin ya akaba ya combersa el maga candidato. Na rally di Mayor manada ta anda maga adulto hinde lang puro maga bata, hinde igual na rally de otro klaro gayot na maga ta ase sila sale letrato?, the supporter added.