ANTIPOLO CITY – Despite of the heavy rains, thousands of supporters of a returning mayoralty candidate in this city showed up at the grounds of the Ynares Center late Monday afternoon to welcome their visitors led by vice presidential bet Senator Loren Legarda.

Clad in red T-shirt, the supporters of Second District Representative and now mayoralty bet Angelito C. Gatlabayan first marched from the Antipolo Cathedral before they trooped to the Ynares Center, surprising policemen and local traffic personnel who stood by along the road side.

Security personnel of the cathedral had a hard time convincing the supporters of Gatlabayan to refrain from blocking the entrance and exit gates of the church as the crowd grew bigger prior to the march.

During his speech, Gatlabayan, who is seeking his comeback to the city hall where he held office for three consecutive terms as mayor, welcomed Legarda and other senatorial candidates of the Nationalista Party, to the pilgrimage capital of Rizal.

During his speech, Gatlabayan hit back at his political rivals who, according to him, have been harassing him and his political leaders with various tactics including the recent questionable issuance of search warrants on the residences of his leaders.

In an interview with mediamen the other day, Gatlabayan said his team of lawyers requested the Commission on Elections to include the city under its control.