With barely 27 days left before the May 10 elections, presidential aspirant Raul Roco left last night for the United States to seek treatment for "chronic pain in the lower back".

But despite his health condition, Roco maintained that it would not be a deterrent to his quest for the presidency "for the sake of every Filipino who needs to be given a choice between a corrupt and incompetent leadership on one hand, and honest and decent government on the other."

"My presidential campaign will continue to be waged by the Alyansa ng Pag-asa (Alliance of New Hope) and by all those who want fundamental change in the character and integrity of the national leadership of the Republic of the Philippines," he said in a press conference yesterday.

Roco, whose voice was breaking while reading a prepared statement, claimed that the grueling campaign took its toll on his health.

He will be accompanied by is wife Sonia to the US.

His announcement apparently took his own staff by surprise.

A look of gloom suddenly clouded many of the staff while others appeared on the brink of crying.
"I felt like crying but I tried not to. Sir is like a father to us," noted 35-year-old Zeny Aloma who has been working for Roco for 10 years now.

According to Roco, he started feeling the pain in his lower back last March 25 in the middle of a campaign sortie in Mindanao and Visayas noting that he and his group traveled 400 kilometres.

Roco said he was informed about his illness only last weekend. His, doctors, however, assured him that his condition is "not immediately life-threatening nor will it prevent me from fulfilling my vision for the country."

"However, (if) left unattended, I am told that it could debilitate me. I'm told that if I attend to it immediately, it will prevent.

That is what I'm told and I'm relying on my doctor's advice," he added.

He, however, assured his supporters that his fight goes on. "Two things to remember: I will not die on you and I will continue fighting and I die, I will continue fighting with your help. The Philippines needs a choice. We will be there," he said.

Roco added that although he might not be physically around for the campaign, the Alyansa team would continue their fight. Meanwhile, Jaime Galvez Tan, Alyansa ng Pag-asa campaign manager, said Sonia Roco has immersed herself in the campaign and has visited the towns for the second and third time to campaign for her husband.

Tan said: "She goes to places, especially the vote-rich provinces that are important to the campaign, and she doesn't campaign there once, but she returns often, sometimes up to three times."

By Sheila Crisostomo

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Raul Roco stops campaigning due to health problem