Election 2010 News - May 7, 2010

• Palace: No meetings for 'No-el', only on security (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Supreme court voids NP-NPC merger (The Philippine Star)
• Delay looms in counting of 3M votes The Daily Tribune)
• If machines fail, teachers not ready for manual count (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Gibo thanks TUCP, 18 groups for support (The Philippine Star)
• Supreme court orders Comelec to bare details of preparations (The Philippine Star)
• 300,000 teachers disenfranchised (The Philippine Star)
• Poll machines pass 2nd round of tests (The Philippine Star)

Palace: No meetings for ‘No-El,’ only on security

By TJ Burgonio (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100507-268515/Palace-No-meetings-for-No-El-only-on-security

MANILA, Philippines—The “no-election” scenario was never on the Palace menu.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been meeting with top security officials because of her concern about unrest arising from the May 10 polls. A failure of elections was never discussed in any of the meetings, Malacañang claimed Thursday.
This whole idea of ‘no elections’ is, just to quote the cardinal, ‘crazy, crazy, crazy and irresponsible,’” Secretary Ricardo Saludo, Ms Arroyo’s spokesperson, said in a briefing. (He was quoting Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales’ reaction early this week to a warning of “people power” by Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno Aquino III.)

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza also said it was the threats by communist and secessionist rebels to disrupt the polls that topped the agenda of the meeting on Wednesday.


In that meeting, Saludo said, Ms Arroyo reminded members of the National Security Council (NSC) to maintain stability on Election Day and onward in the face of possible protests.

Supreme Court voids NP-NPC merger

By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=573041&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The Liberal Party (LP) stopped the Nacionalista Party (NP) yesterday from acquiring the status of dominant minority party after the Supreme Court (SC) voided the NP’s coalition with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).

In a unanimous decision, the SC agreed with the LP that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) committed “grave abuse of discretion” in disregarding its own deadline in approving the NP-NPC coalition.

“(The) NP-NPC’s petition for registration as a coalition is time-barred,” read the decision.

“Thus, Comelec was wrong in ordering the out-of-time registration of the NP-NPC coalition.

“In so ruling, we emphasize that the matter of party registration raises critical election concerns that should be handled with discretion commensurate with the importance of elections to our democratic system.

“The Comelec should be at its most strict in implementing and complying with the standards and procedures the Constitution and our laws impose.”

Delay looms in counting of 3M votes

By Marie Surbano (The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100507hed5.html

A delay in the count of over 3 million votes is likely should the consortium of Smartmatic and Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) fail to deliver on time the compact flash cards for about five percent of areas considered as far flung or risky.
 

This was admitted yesterday by Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Jose Melo who said the supplier of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines may deliver the CF cards to five percent of the total vote precincts not on election day itself but at best the next day or May 11.

“Only 5 percent ‘may’ not get the flash cards with the testing. This may be done on the day of the elections itself. Five percent of the 76,000 may not have their cards attached and tested by Saturday and Sunday. And the rest will be there on Sunday itself for the testing,” Melo told reporters at a news briefing.

Cesar Flores, Smartmatic president for Asia Pacific, said the 5 percent CF cards that would not be delivered on time concerns security issues.

If machines fail, teachers not ready for manual count

By Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao, TJ Burgonio (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100507-268519/If-machines-fail-teachers-not-ready-for-manual-count

MANILA, Philippines—Teachers manning precincts on Election Day will be at a loss on what to do in case the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines still do not function properly.

The teachers are not prepared for manual counting, Abelardo Brutas, secretary general of the Teachers in the Philippine Public Sector (TOPPS, said.

Brutas said one of the hindrances to manual voting is the clustering of precincts. A clustered precinct could have up to a thousand voters.

Manual elections would only be possible if the Commission on Elections (Comelec) restores the original number of precincts, which is quite impossible at this time, he said.

“Definitely, we cannot handle the clustered precincts, where we have to deal with about a thousand voters per precinct,” Brutas said.

Gibo thanks TUCP, 18 groups for support

(The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=573038&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro thanked the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and 18 more party-list groups for endorsing his candidacy, saying their backing is not just support for him but a collective commitment to an agenda for genuine change and sustainable national development into the next decade.

Teodoro said TUCP and the other party-list groups deserve to be represented in Congress to ensure that all sectors, especially the marginalized ones, are adequately heard as the next government seeks a national consensus behind a roadmap for change and development.

These party-list groups’ endorsement came on the heels of an announcement Sunday night in Davao City by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, “self-appointed Son of God” and founder of the six million-strong Kingdom of Jesus Christ: The Name Above Every Name, that Teodoro should be the country’s next president.

Aside from TUCP, the party-list organizations that signed the manifesto were: AT (Aangat Tayo), ANAD (Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy), Senior Citizens, Ang Kasangga, BANAT (Barangay Association for National Advancement and Transparency), KAKUSA (Kapatiran ng mga Nakulong na Walang Sala), ABAKADA-Guro, ARC (Alliance for Rural Concerns) and ABS (Arts, Business and Science Professionals).

Supreme Court orders Comelec to bare details of preparations

By Edu Punay (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=573037&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Amid fears of a failure of elections due to reported glitches in the automated system, the Supreme Court (SC) compelled yesterday the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make public details of its preparations for the polls on Monday.

By a vote of 12-3, the high court partially granted the petition of a group of concerned citizens, led by former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr., and ordered the poll body to fully disclose its preparations for the conduct of the automated elections because of recent “alarming developments.”

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body respects the decision of the SC and would abide by its order but believed that the petition of Guingona’s group was unnecessary.

“The Comelec has always been very transparent in the implementation of the automation project,” Jimenez said.

In a 20-page resolution penned by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the SC upheld the right of petitioners to information on the poll automation, which it said is “a matter of great public concern.”

300,000 teachers disenfranchised

By Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=573032&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday to act on the complaints of some 300,000 teachers on their possible disenfranchisement in the May 10 polls.

The DepEd said the Comelec failed to reactivate the teachers’ registration as voters in their respective precincts.

DeEd Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Franklin Sunga said the large number of teachers facing disenfranchisement was causing demoralization in the ranks.

“Our teachers have been religiously performing their election duties as part of public service since the country’s first elections. For them to be deactivated as a consequence of their service is grossly unfair. We urge Comelec to listen to the plight of the teachers,” Sunga appealed.

He said that in the past, the Comelec allowed teachers on poll duty to vote in their assigned precincts and not where they are registered.

Poll machines pass 2nd round of tests

By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=573031&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Automated elections nationwide will be held as scheduled on Monday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday with renewed optimism after the machines passed a second round of tests.

Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said compact flash cards will be distributed by Saturday to 95 percent of the clustered precincts throughout the country.

“In case there would be precincts in very, very remote areas without compact flash cards or if they do not arrive on time, voters will still go and vote, and their ballots will be deposited in ballot boxes and, on election day itself or the day after the flash cards arrive and (are) tested, the ballots will then be fed for counting,” he said.

Results of testing of PCOS machines, particularly in Metro Manila, showed a 100 percent match of manual and machine counting of votes, he added.

Melo said manual counting of votes would be held only in small municipalities, in case a machine would malfunction and a spare one is not immediately available.

Election 2010 News - May 5, 2010

• Smartmatic admits glitches, errors ; Testing junked, 76,000 flash cards recalled Failed polls fears up as PCOS malfunction  (The Daily Tribune)
• Postpone elections, Arroyo lawyers urges (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Calls for manual count mount but Comelec says no (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Don't be surprised if frontrunner losses (The Philippine Star)
• Voting machines fail 76,000 memory cards to be replaced (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Villar vows to bring home stranded OFW's on Day 1 of presidency (The Philippine Star)
• 19 party-list groups endorse Gibo (The Philippine Star)
• Government press probed for printing campaign materials (The Philippine Star)
• Voting machines malfunctions (The Philippine Star)

Smartmatic admits glitches, errors; Testing junked, 76,000 flash cards recalled Failed polls fears up as PCOS malfunction

By Marie A. Surbano (The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribune.net.ph/

Six days before the precincts open for the electorate to cast their vote using the new system of automated polls, real fears of a total failure of elections and a no-election scenario surfaced yesterday as precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines tested virtually nationwide, all failed, with the machines giving out zero votes to some candidates, while some candidates had all the votes.

Machine supplier Smartmatic and Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials also yesterday tried to allay the public’s fear, saying that these machine glitches that were experienced in areas where machines were tested, are easily fixed, adding that it was human error that led to the failure of the machines to correctly read votes for local positions.

Smartmatic Southeast Asia president Cesar Flores admitted its mistake and said the company is taking full responsibility for it, as Smartmatic failed to properly configure compact flash disks of the PCOS machines to properly read the votes for the local races because of a difference in the layouts of the national and local ballots.

“The PCOS machine incorrectly read the local ballot because the local ballot has double spacing. If you look at the national (ballot), they are all single spaced.”

Postpone elections, Arroyo lawyer urges

By Christine O. Avendaño (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100505-268136/Postpone-elections-Arroyo-lawyer-urges

MANILA, Philippines—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s election lawyer Tuesday sought the postponement of the May 10 polls for 15 days “as the only remedy to prevent a failure of elections” and to give poll officials enough time to prepare for manual elections.

Lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the Omnibus Election Code allows for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc to reset the polls “based on serious cause like the apparent failure of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to properly and correctly function.”

“Under the present situation, a 15-day postponement would be reasonable to give time for the Comelec to print additional forms for manual tally and canvass,” he said in a statement. He stressed that this was “not the time to blame anybody but the time to solve this serious problem.”

In a phone interview, Macalintal said there was a legal basis for Comelec to postpone the polls, citing the Supreme Court’s decision three months ago in the case of Harry Roque versus the poll body.

Calls for manual count mount but Comelec says no

(Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100505-268135/Calls-for-manual-count-mount-but-Comelec-says-no

MANILA, Philippines—Widespread misreading of ballots in the testing of counting machines for Monday’s automated polls has revived calls from national and local candidates for a full manual count to ensure that no massive electronic rigging will occur on Election Day.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec), however, quickly thumbed down the suggestions, saying it was confident that computerized balloting and canvassing will push through despite the technical setback of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.

“We are confident that failure of election is not a problem,” said Commissioner Rene Sarmiento.

But Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Aquino III wanted a firm assurance from the Comelec that it “will do everything within the bounds of the law” to ensure that automated elections would push through or else prepare for a manual count “as mandated by law.”

In a statement, Aquino said the misreading of the PCOS machines belied the poll agency’s claim that it is “ready.”

'Don't be surprised if frontrunner loses'

(The Philippine Star)

Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=572425&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The race for the presidency is still wide open, Malacañang said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters, Press Undersecretary Rogelio Peyuan said Filipinos must not be surprised if the winner is not among the frontrunners in the surveys.
“Elections give us a lot of surprises,” he said.

Peyuan said figures from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed some 50 million registered voters nationwide, out of a population of about 92 to 94 million.

“It would be very safe for each and everyone to think and to always keep in mind that if there are about 50 million voters and 10 or 11 percent of them do not vote, as we experienced in the past, it would be hard for us to have faith in the surveys that have 900 respondents in Luzon, 600 in the Visayas and maybe another 600 in Mindanao. That would be very, very unfair to even presume and assume that that (surveys) is the sentiment of the people,” he said.

Peyuan cited the case of Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro Jr., who has not fared well in the surveys.

Voting machines fail 76,000 memory cards to be replaced

By Michael Lim Ubac, Tarra Quismundo, Kristine L. Alave (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100505-268133/Voting-machines-fail

MANILA, Philippines—Now, it can be told officially. The tests produced weird results.

This sent embarrassed officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its partner, Smartmatic-TIM, scrambling to save the historic computerized balloting on May 10 by recalling 76,000 compact flash (CF) cards that are in the heart of the counting machines.

“We didn’t expect this to come out, but we are responding on time,” Cesar Flores, spokesperson for Smartmatic-TIM, at a nationally televised news conference said.

Flores blamed the glitches, which first surfaced in two precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines last month at the start of advance overseas voting in Hong Kong, on “human error.”

“We are taking all measures to remedy this,” Flores said, just five days before the May 10 national and local elections.

“We are optimistic that there will be no failure of elections,” said Commissioner Rene Sarmiento. “We are taking all measures to remedy this.”

Villar vows to bring home stranded OFWs on Day 1 of presidency

By Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=572441&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar has reiterated his vow to bring distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) back to the country and provide them with jobs and livelihood opportunities.

In his speech at his campaign rally in Vigan last Sunday night, Villar said this policy would be set into motion on Day One of his presidency.

He promised to establish a country that can provide opportunities to Filipinos so parents do not have to leave their families and children behind in order to work abroad.

Villar strongly believes a dream Philippines can be achieved by investing heavily on developing a “strong entrepreneurial class” by funneling credit to small and medium-scale enterprises.

He is also pushing for labor-intensive industries like tourism and the service industry.

According to records, close to two million Filipinos left the country to work abroad, which roughly translates to 4,500 workers being deployed daily-a record-high in overseas deployment.

19 party-list groups endorse Gibo

By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=572433&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - A coalition of 19 party-list organizations including thousands of urban poor residents in Tondo, Manila declared their support for administration candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.

Former Interior secretary Rafael Alunan also joined in support of Teodoro.

Their endorsements came after Davao-based Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ picked Teodoro on Sunday.

Quiboloy said his congregation chose Teodoro among the presidential candidates who have been trying to get his endorsement.

Alunan, on the other hand, said he picked Teodoro as his personal favorite.

“My presidential candidate is an underdog even in his own party (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), stabbed in the front, back and sides by treacherous partymates,” he said.

Alunan described Teodoro as “a non-traditional politician that prefers the high to the low road.”

Government press probed for printing campaign materials

By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=572428&publicationSubCategoryId=63


MANILA, Philippines - Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General Conrado Limcaoco is launching a probe into reports that officials of one of the printing offices that he is supervising have been illegally using facilities to print election materials for their own or their relatives’ political campaign.

Limcaoco was reacting to a report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) that some members of the board of the APO Production Unit, Inc. who are running for local elective posts, are using their printing facilities for their campaign materials.

The PCIJ report said the officials were taking advantage of the ambiguity of the status of the APO, whether it is a government corporation or a private entity.

The Omnibus Election Code prohibits the use of printing presses owned or controlled by the government in any election campaign or partisan political activity.

The penalties for officials of such an entity caught in violation of the law range from one to six years in prison, along with disqualification from public office and forfeiture of the right of suffrage, the PCIJ pointed out.

Voting machines malfunction

By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=572412&publicationSubCategoryId=63
 

MANILA, Philippines - Fears of election failure intensified yesterday after some of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to be used by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) failed test runs in some parts of the country, prompting a stop to the testing and a recall of the machines.

President Arroyo ordered Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) chairman Ray Anthony Chua to meet with Comelec and Smartmatic officials to see what could be done to address the problem.
Mrs. Arroyo’s election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said postponement of the elections “is the only remedy to prevent a failure of election.”

Smartmatic president for Asia-Pacific Cesar Flores said when the testing started last Monday, some PCOS machines produced “contradictory” reading of the ballots for local elective posts.

“The first thing to do is look at all these reports and go to different possibilities of errors and finally it was narrowed down to configuration issue,” Flores said during a press conference at the Comelec.

The conference was also attended by Makati congressman and Joint Congressional Oversight Committee for Poll Automation co-chairman Teddy Boy Locsin, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) chairperson Henrietta de Villa and Chua, among others.

Election 2010 News -- April 30, 2010

• Manual count junked (Manila Bulletin)
• Cheating on; bets bribing poll officials - DND Chief  (The Daily Tribune)
• Once-reluctant Aquino ready to lead the Philippines (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Comelec junks parallel manual count bid (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Teodoro camp: Inquirer coverage fair, disclaims ad vs PDI (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Administration lawmaker defends party-lilst group (The Philippine Star)
• Erap tied with Villar in latest Pulse Asia Poll (The Philippine Star)
• AFP on red alert  in preparation for May 10 polls (The Philippine Star)
• Comelec junks parallel count (The Philippine Star)

Manual count junked

By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO (Manila Bulletin)
Link: http://mb.com.ph/articles/255262/manual-count-junked
 

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) junked Thursday the proposed parallel manual count in the country’s first automated elections on May 10, on the pretext that it would only open up opportunities for cheating.

In its unanimous decision, the poll body ruled that the manual count is not the “only” way to validate the electronic results of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, as pressed by religious leaders, IT experts, the Makati Business Club (MBC), and even some of the candidates themselves.

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez, who read the contents of the resolution before the media, said adopting such measure would have an adverse effect on the automation process such as the creation of discrepancies or errors in the tallying of votes.

“The Commission also cannot accept that the mere existence of disagreement between the hand and electronic count should automatically be interpreted as proof of the inaccuracy of the electronic count,” the seven-page resolution said.

Cheating on; bets bribing poll officials —DND chief

By Mario J. Mallari (The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100430hed3.html

Acting defense secretary Norberto Gonzales yesterday warned that there would be cheating in next month’s national elections as he said that several people were already trying to bribe polling officials and even the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“I’m telling you that the cheating has (already) begun,” Gonzales told a gathering of Christian and Muslim religious leaders. “There will be cheating in the coming elections.”

Gonzales did not say who was behind the cheating but said people had already begun trying to bribe members of the body overseeing the poll, the Commission on Elections.

“Money is being distributed to some officials already these days,” he said.

Gonzales bared that attempts to bribe some poll officials, the AFP and PNP to rig the results of the May 10 presidential elections.

Once-reluctant Aquino ready to lead the Philippines

By Agence France-Presse (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100429-267127/Once-reluctant-Aquino-ready-to-lead-the-Philippines

CALUMPIT, Bulacan, Philippines—Standing on the back of a truck throwing wristbands to an endless stream of people chanting his name, Senator Benigno Aquino III smiles and says he can almost feel the Philippine presidency.

Less than a year ago the quietly spoken Aquino publicly vacillated on whether he wanted to continue the imposing work of his famous parents, who are regarded as democracy heroes in this impoverished Southeast Asian nation.

But, with elections less than two weeks away, he now appears passionate in wanting to be president and more comfortable with the hopes so many have for him as the country's savior.

"You feel that things that weren't considered possible a few months ago are in the realms of possibility," Aquino, 50, told Agence France-Presse from aboard the flatbed truck as it embarked on a pulsating five-hour campaign procession.

Comelec junks parallel manual count bid

By Kristine L. Alave, Leila B. Salaverria, Amy R. Remo (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100430-267246/Comelec-junks-parallel-manual-count-bid

MANILA, Philippines—A slide into chaos rather than a prescription for order.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Thursday junked a proposal by concerned business and legal groups to conduct a parallel manual count, at the very least in the presidential contest, to establish the credibility of the automated balloting on May 10.

In a strongly worded resolution, the Comelec en banc slammed proponents of the hybrid polling for “their lack of understanding of the ramifications of their demand” and said the proposal was “very risky.”

“Conducting a hand count of the ballots will open up the possibility of errors in tallying, as well as provide excellent opportunity for the perpetration of fraudulent acts, such as the deliberate shading of additional ovals or the defacing of the ballot security marks—to make it appear that more ballots were read than should have been,” it said.

Teodoro camp: Inquirer coverage fair, disclaims ad vs PDI

By TJ Burgonio (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100430-267248/Teodoro-camp-Inquirer-coverage-fair-disclaims-ad-vs-PDI

MANILA, Philippines—The camp of administration standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. has distanced itself from a print ad questioning a Philippine Daily Inquirer story about Teodoro’s campaign rally in Davao City and the paper’s supposed bias for another candidate.

Mike Toledo, spokesperson for Teodoro, confirmed that a group of volunteers in Davao City had paid for the ad that came out in another broadsheet last Wednesday.

“The ads being brought out by volunteers are ads made on their own. We have nothing to do with the ads put out by volunteers,” Toledo said by phone the other night. But he said Teodoro’s media bureau respected the volunteers’ right to put out the advertisement.

Raymundo Roquero, secretary general of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, under whose banner Teodoro is running, also said the party had no hand in the ad and that the Inquirer had been fair in its coverage of Teodoro’s campaign.

Administration lawmaker defends party-list group

By Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=571139&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - A veteran administration lawmaker scored The STAR yesterday for labeling his party-list group as among those with “questionable goals.”

“This is already below the belt. This is even very selective. And it was not even arranged in alphabetical manner,” Alagad party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta complained to The STAR executives.

He was referring to the “Know your party-list” item that appeared in the daily’s front page yesterday. The item is a partial checklist of party-list groups aiming for House seats in the coming polls. The STAR aims to update the list daily, depending on records the groups submit to the Commission on Elections.

Groups tagged by civil society group Kontra Daya as having “questionable goals” are marked with asterisks in The STAR checklist.

Erap tied with Villar in latest Pulse Asia poll

By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)
Link:http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=571135&publicationSubCategoryId=63


MANILA, Philippines - With elections less than two weeks away, the tandem of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada and running mate Jejomar Binay surged to the number two spot.

Results of Pulse Asia’s latest pre-election survey showed that Estrada and Nacionalista Party (NP) bet Sen. Manuel Villar are now tied at second place with 20 percent each.

Binay, showing strong improvement, also overtook NP bet Sen. Loren Legarda for second place (28 percent versus 20 percent).

Pulse Asia said Binay gained nine percentage points in electoral support while Legarda’s score dropped from 23 percent in March to 20 percent in a survey conducted from April 23 to 25.

Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Aquino III is still dominating the race with 39 percent or four in 10 Filipino voters showing preference for him. Aquino is leading by 19 points over Villar and Estrada.

AFP on red alert in preparation for May 10 polls

By Alexis Romero (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=571133&publicationSubCategoryId=63


MANILA, Philippines - The military will be placed on red alert starting today as part of security preparations for the May 10 elections.

Col. Ricardo Nepomuceno, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)–Task Force HOPE (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections), said the red alert status will be implemented until May 20 to allow the military to monitor the security situation in the field.

“The red alert will start at 8 a.m. It will be nationwide. We will start the manning of our (HOPE) operations center and that is the signal for us to start implementing our security operations,” Nepomuceno said.

A red alert means that all the military personnel should be readily available for deployment anytime. Such alert level would also entail the cancellation of all leaves to ensure adequate manpower.

Comelec junks parallel count

By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=571131&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - It’s official.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will only conduct a random manual audit of votes in the coming polls and not a full parallel manual count as demanded by some groups.

The decision sparked calls from various groups, including lawyers and business organizations, for street protests.

In a seven-page resolution, the Comelec denied for lack of legal basis the proposal to conduct a parallel manual count in all precincts for the positions of president, vice president, congressmen, governor and mayor.

“After having taken into consideration all the submissions of the various proponents, and after having considered the opinions of those who stand opposed, the Commission concludes that it cannot conduct a full parallel manual count,” the Comelec said.

Election 2010 News - April 28, 2010

• Parallel manual count gains Proponents cite need to protect election's integrity (Malaya)
• 'Poll survey undermining democratic processes (The Philippine Star)
• CBCP organizing nine-day novena for clean polls (The Philippine Star)
• Comelec junks disqualification case vs. Drilon.  (The Philippine Star)
• Teodoro: Who needs surveys? (Malaya)
• Discipline Gibo first for abandoning post - Nograles (The Daily Tribune)
• Volunteers vow to deliver 2.5 million votes for Gibo in Metro Manila (The Philippine Star)
• 
  

Parallel manual count gains Proponents cite need to protect election’s integrity

BY IRMA ISIP (Malaya)
Link: http://www.malaya.com.ph/04282010/news1.html

THE clamor for a parallel manual count has snowballed as the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) yesterday said it supports the proposal as a backup measure to protect the integrity of the May 10 automated elections.

The Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, information technology experts and cause-oriented groups had proposed the parallel manual count to ensure that the results are credible.

In a statement, ECOP said in any computerized election, redundancy is important to protect the election’s integrity and reliability.

However, ECOP wants the parallel manual count limited to the votes for president unlike the MBC, MAP which advocates manual count also for vice president, mayor and vice mayor.

'Poll surveys undermining democratic processes'

By Perseus Echeminada (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=570454&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Ang Kapatiran vice presidential candidate Dominador Chipeco Jr. yesterday criticized the political surveys being conducted by survey firms, which he said is undermining the democratic processes of the coming May 10 elections.

Speaking with The STAR editors and reporters, Chipeco said that with the election just two weeks away, voters are now having second thoughts whether to vote or not for their candidates who are trailing in the surveys being conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia.

“My supporters would now think twice if they will still vote (for) me because I am in the tail end of the surveys. They might say their vote is a waste because of the survey result,” he said.

Chipeco said that even educated and mature people are affected by the results of surveys and because of mind conditioning, the freedom to choose their own candidates is now jeopardized.

CBCP organizing nine-day novena for clean polls

By Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=570448&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Media Office director Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III said they are organizing a nine-day novena for clean, honest, orderly and peaceful elections.

Quitorio said they are finalizing plans to hold the novena either at the chapel inside the Archdiocese of Manila or at the Manila Cathedral.

The 12-hour novena will be held from May 3 to May 11, from noon until midnight.

“We believe that in all the social upheavals in our country, there is a role for divine intervention. So we think of holding a vigil for several hours everyday, organizing lay organizations that are near the Commission on Elections (Comelec),” Quitorio said.

They would ask bishops to participate in the novena and organize prayer vigils in their respective dioceses for the same intention.

This project is supported by CBCP president Tandag, Surigao del Sur Bishop Nereo Odchimar and Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales.

Comelec junks disqualification case vs Drilon

By Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=570443&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) junked a disqualification case filed against former Senate president Franklin Drilon, allowing him to pursue his senatorial bid in the May 10 elections.

In a nine-page decision released yesterday, the Comelec’s First Division dismissed for “utter lack of merit” the petition filed by a certain Vladimir Alarique Cabigao seeking Drilon’s disqualification.

“In the instant case, it has been shown that Drilon had a hiatus of three years since his second consecutive term as senator. Consequently, there can be no doubt as to his eligibility to run for a Senate seat in the 2010 national elections,” the resolution, signed by Commissioners Rene Sarmiento, Armando Velasco and Gregorio Larrazabal, stated.

Cabigao alleged that Drilon’s filing of his certificate of candidacy for the 2010 elections is prohibited by the Constitution because he would be eligible to run for the Senate only in the 2013 elections.

Teodoro: Who needs surveys?

BY REGINA BENGCO (Malaya)
Link: http://www.malaya.com.ph/04282010/news14.html


TOLEDO CITY, Cebu. – Administration presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Tuesday said he no longer pays attention to surveys among presidential candidates because they do not represent the real sentiment of the people.

Teodoro made the statement after the April 16-19 Social Weather Stations survey showed him still at number four in the presidential race although his score rose to 9 from 6 percent.

To underscore his feelings about surveys, he waved before the crowd gathered at the newly inaugurated Toledo Garden City Hall here, a special white shirt given by Cebu Rep. Pablo John Garcia.

The shirt, in green letters, read: "Hindi ako tinanong sa survey."

Teodoro gave the shirt to his aide for safekeeping.

He told the people of Toledo City that while his rivals make promises and attack each other, he talks of progress and inaugurates infrastructure like their new city hall.

Discipline Gibo first for abandoning post —Nograles

By Charlie V. Manalo (The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100428hed5.html

Insisting that he cannot support someone who wants to become president but cannot even run a political party properly, Speaker Prospero Nograles said the self-appointed officials of Lakas-Kampi-CMD are free to pursue any disciplinary action against him but they should also do the same for presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro for supporting local candidates who are running against their own party mates.

Teodoro has openly supported Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who in turn endorsed, not Teodoro but the Liberal Party presidential bet, Sen. Noynoy Aquino.

In the Center’s Pulso ng Dabaw latest survey, the Speaker firmed up his lead over his closest rival to 14 percent when some 44 percent or 1,056 respondents out of the 2,400 respondents who were polled said they will vote for Nograles if the elections are held within the period covered by the survey while 30 percent or 720 respondents said they will vote for Sara Duterte.

Nograles said that those who have been suggesting his ouster from the party cannot even speak for and in behalf of the party because they are holding party positions that were given out like candy and they do not carry the mandate of Lakas’ general membership.

Volunteers vow to deliver 2.5 million votes for Gibo in Metro Manila

By Perseus Echeminada (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=570455&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - A community-based volunteer movement yesterday vowed to deliver some 2.5 million votes for administration presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro in Metro Manila.

The Palit Galing Movement said they have already recruited at least 250,000 residents in Metro Manila that will deliver the “swing vote” for Teodoro and the administration candidates.

“Metro Manila will be the swing vote in the May 10 presidential elections, we will deliver 2.5 million votes to administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro,” declared the group’s leader, Suzette Salazar.

Even without support from the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Salazar boasted they could deliver the votes for Teodoro from the grassroots.

“We are operating outside the party machinery and we just rely on the corps of volunteers who believe in the leadership qualities of Gibo Teodoro,” Salazar said.

Election 2010 News - April 27, 2010

• 'Poll watcher getting advance pay in GMA district' (The Philippine Star)
• Ballot distribution begins; Coast Guard to deliver poll machines (The Philippine Star)
• Mom's appeal: Give Manny a break (Malaya)
• NP bet admits meeting with Ampatuan Sr.  (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Why was Noynoy vs playing of 'Hello Garci' tape? - NP (Business Mirror)
• Lakas members leaving Gibo branded 'pseudo' supporters   (The Manila Times)
• Nograles warns: More Lakas members to quit on Teodoro (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Gibo endorses Duterte; rift with Nograles worsens (The Philippine Star)

'Poll watchers getting advance pay in GMA district'

By Ding Cervantes (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=570182&publicationSubCategoryId=63

LUBAO, Pampanga , Philippines - Liberal Party (LP) re-electionist Gov. Eddie Panlilio urged yesterday the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate reports that his gubernatorial rival has been paying advance salaries ranging from P1,500 to P4,000 monthly to people who will act as poll watchers in the second district of Pampanga, where President Arroyo is the official congressional candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

“I urge the Comelec in Pampanga and Central Luzon to check out reports that my fellow gubernatorial candidate, Mrs. Lilia Pineda, and her campaigners at the Lakas-Kampi-CMD are doing a massive recruitment of poll watchers beyond what is allowed by election laws,” the Pampanga governor said in a statement yesterday.

Panlilio said that a “first batch of poll watchers have been designated as barangay coordinators” and have been required by the Pineda camp to recruit 10 poll watchers each.

“Election laws allow two poll watchers per party in every clustered precinct to work on alternate duty. When the precinct is small, the BEI can ask the poll watchers to leave. Only a representative of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting will be allowed,” he noted.

Ballot distribution begins; Coast Guard to deliver poll machines

By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=570173&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has started shipping the ballots to be used in the May 10 automated elections to various areas nationwide.

The distribution of ballots to municipal and provincial treasurers’ offices in Mindanao and Luzon started last Saturday, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said yesterday.

Larrazabal said ballots were sent to the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Zambo Sibugay, Bukidnon, Lanao del Sur, Palawan and Masbate.

He said the Comelec opted to distribute the ballots first in Mindanao provinces and other areas, which would take a longer time to reach.

He added that as a general rule, ballots should be delivered directly to the municipal treasurer’s office, but in some instances they are distributed directly to the provincial treasurer’s office because of security concerns.

Mom’s appeal: Give Manny a break

BY JP LOPEZ (Malaya)
Link: http://www.malaya.com.ph/04272010/news2.html

IN-between sobs, Curita Bamba Villar told reporters yesterday how, as a mother, she suffers when hearing criticisms, especially the vicious kind, against her son, Sen. Manny Villar.

The 86-year-old "Nanay Curing" is now paralytic and blinded.

In a press conference held at her house in Vista Grande, BF Resort in Las Piñas City, Nanay Curing said "it pains me and it almost cost my life" hearing the lies being peddled by Villar critics, especially those questioning his roots.

Clad in an orange duster, Nanay Curing started the media interview very calmly as she even managed to narrate how hard their life had been in Tondo.

"Kung ayaw niyo maniwala pumunta kayo sa Divisoria market, Stall 2245," she said.

NP bet admits meeting with Ampatuan Sr.

By Nikko Dizon ( Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100427-266668/NP-bet-admits-meeting-with-Ampatuan-Sr

MANILA, Philippines—Tensions rose in a press conference of Nacionalista Party senatorial candidates after one of them admitted having met with former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.
Gilbert Remulla, who is also the NP spokesperson, said he visited Ampatuan in April when the latter was confined in a military hospital in Davao City.
“Yes, I did it, I don’t deny it,” Remulla said when asked by the Inquirer to confirm a report that came out last week.

“But I don’t want to elaborate on it for personal and security reasons. Every parent will understand. But my stand against the Maguindanao massacre is even stronger than before. The victims of the massacre must be given justice and the prime suspects should be tried,” he said.

On April 15, Ampatuan’s son Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao, who stands accused of carrying out the country’s worst election-related killings, was seen on national television wearing two NP baller IDs at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City where he was transferred from the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila.

Why was Noynoy vs playing of ‘Hello, Garci’ tape?–NP

( Business Mirror)
Link: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24572:why-was-noynoy-vs-playing-of-hello-garci-tapenp&catid=26:nation&Itemid=63

THE Nacionalista Party (NP) said Liberal Party (LP) presidential bet Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and campaign officials of the LP played a key role in helping President Arroyo remain in power by voting against the playing of the “Hello, Garci” tape during the congressional investigation of alleged fraud in the 2004 elections.

NP spokesman and senatorial candidate Gilbert Remulla said voters should be reminded that Aquino, who promises new leadership that will be free of corruption, did not vote for the playing of the “Hello, Garci” tape, which was the key to enlighten the public in determining if Mrs. Arroyo cheated during the 2004 elections.

“It is highly suspicious why Sen. Noynoy Aquino did not vote to listen to the ‘Hello, Garci’ tape when he was House Deputy Speaker for Luzon,” said Remulla in a press briefing on Monday.

Lakas members leaving Gibo branded 'pseudo' supporters

BY JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA Reporter (The Manila Times )
Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/16126-lakas-members-leaving-gibo-branded-pseudo-supporters

DAVAO CITY: A word war between Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and House Speaker Prospero “Boy” Nograles Jr. continued and chances of the two patching things up seemed remote.

Nograles fanned the flame on Monday by saying that members of the ruling party, Lakas-Kampi CMD, would soon leave Teodoro because they feel that he has a very slim chance of winning the race to Malacañang on May 10.

He made the statement a day after attending a political rally organized by his supporters here during which Teodoro in a speech described Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Vice Mayor Inday Sarah Duterte-Zimmerman as good leaders. The Dutertes are political rivals of Nograles.

According to the lawmaker, Teodoro’s support for Duterte means nothing where Davao politics or the next month’s balloting is concerned.

Nograles warns: More Lakas members to quit on Teodoro

By Abigail Kwok (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/topstories/topstories/view/20100426-266539/Nograles-warns-More-Lakas-members-to-quit-on-Teodoro

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — (UPDATE) House Speaker and city mayoral candidate Prospero Nograles on Monday warned that more members of the administration’s Lakas-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) will quit on the party’s standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro as Election Day nears.

“The old members of Lakas have left him and others will leave Gibo very, very soon because they feel he has a very slim chance to win,” Nograles said in a statement.

“He has not taken off,” Nograles said, referring to Teodoro’s struggle in the surveys. “And he quit on Lakas in midstream. We have no choice but to quit on him also.”

Nograles had earlier threatened to leave Lakas-Kampi-CMD as he claimed that the party was being run without consultation with its members.

Gibo endorses Duterte; rift with Nograles worsens

By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=570180&publicationSubCategoryId=63

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Any possible reconciliation between Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Speaker Prospero Nograles fell through when the House leader went ballistic against the former Defense secretary here.

In a strongly worded media statement yesterday, Nograles described Teodoro’s public recognition of his main rivals – city Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Sarah Duterte – as an affront to the party leadership.

Speaking at a huge political rally at Rizal Park here Saturday, Teodoro described before the roaring crowd that the Dutertes were good leaders and good friends of his.

“He (Teodoro) quit on Lakas in midstream and we have no choice but to quit on him also,” said Nograles, referring to Teodoro’s sudden resignation as party chairman.

But lawyer Mike Toledo clarified that Teodoro’s acknowledgment of the Dutertes should not be seen as a form of endorsement.

Election 2010 News - April 26, 2010

• Warn of protest actions vs poll body Elite group press Comelec on manual count (The Daily Tribune)
• Comelec exec tagged in secrecy folder deal Lawyer says directive to suspend bidding defied (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Mock polls in Metro Manila deffered; PNP to secure poll machines (The Philippine Star)
• Comelec prepares for manual audit  (The Philippine Star)
• Bongbong bats for more green buildings (Malaya)
• Villar's mere presense already undue pressure  (The Daily Tribune)
• Gibo backs Duterte in fight with Nograles (Malaya)
• Candidate Gloria hits campaign trail (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Warn of protest actions vs poll body Elite groups press Comelec on manual count

(The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribune.net.ph/

Insisting that a parallel and manual count at the precinct level would bring about credible elections, an elite group of businessmen, who are mostly identified with the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), yesterday called a press conference at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City, putting additional pressure on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow a parallel count of the ballots in the precinct level.

The press conference was carried live on the Lopez cable network yesterday morning.

There were hints from some members of the group that, apart from coming up with an open letter to the Comelec, massive protest actions will be employed.

Earlier, there was staged in front of the Comelec, the so-called “Jericho” march, which harks back to the biblical Jericho walls that crumbled.

The business groups warned of massive protests to be staged but failed to state whether these would be staged before the polls, or after the polls.

The group, led by the Makati Business Club (MBC), wants a parallel manual count of the May 10 automated polls, stressing that the manual count will usher in credibility and acceptability of the May 10 election results.

Comelec exec tagged in secrecy folder deal Lawyer says directive to suspend bidding defied

By Leila Salaverria (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100426-266445/Comelec-exec-tagged-in-secrecy-folder-deal

MANILA, Philippines—The winning bidder in the scuttled purchase by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of ballot secrecy folders bagged a contract in 2008 after an election executive allegedly defied a directive of the poll body to postpone the bidding, a Comelec official said.

Lawyer Melchor Magdamo, who is assigned to the office of Comelec Chair Jose Melo, made the statement in an affidavit he submitted to a panel investigating the earlier decision to buy from OTC Paper Supply 1.8 million ballot secrecy folders at P380 each, a deal worth nearly P700 million.

The secrecy folder deal has since been junked, but the poll body has decided to probe the circumstances leading to its decision to buy the “extravagant” folders.

OTC has disputed claims that the folders were overpriced and has contested the Comelec decision not to push through with the contract.

Mock polls in Metro Manila deferred; PNP to secure poll machines

By With Reinir Padua (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569883&publicationSubCategoryId=63


MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is postponing Thursday’s mock polls in Metro Manila to Monday next week.

This was revealed by National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) chairman Jose Cuisia, who said delays in the delivery of ballots and other poll paraphernalia prompted the rescheduling of the mock elections.

“There are also problems in the delivery of the Precinct Count Optical Scan machines,” Cuisia added.

He said the postponement indicated that the Comelec was still unprepared for automated elections.

“They claim that they are ready, yet we are talking only of one precinct and a thousand voters and they were not able to fulfill their commitment,” Cuisia pointed out.

Comelec prepares for manual audit

By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569882&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is preparing for a random manual auditing of elections results, according to Henrietta de Villa, head of the poll body’s committee on random manual audit.

She said part of the plan is the deployment of an additional 3,500 public school teachers to ensure the accuracy of random manual auditing.

De Villa said the committee has recommended the creation of a special board of election inspectors to undertake the manual audit.

The Comelec has rejected calls for a parallel manual canvassing of poll results, saying it is no longer necessary since a random manual audit is enough to do the job.

Bongbong bats for more green buildings

(Malaya)
Link: http://www.malaya.com.ph/04262010/news10.html
 

NACIONALISTA senatorial candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos yesterday said he would introduce legislation that would put emphasis on the design and construction of green buildings and structures.

Green buildings, he said, ensure better health and productivity of occupants aside from being environment-friendly through the use of technologies that use resources with minimal ecological impact.

The green building concept was hatched in the US in the 1970s at the height of the oil crisis and growing concerns over environmental degradation.

Villar’s mere presence already undue pressure

By Jason Faustino (The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribune.net.ph/

The mere presence of Villar as Senate president in the offices of Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) executives and the regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or personal calls he made to them is already a form of applying undue pressure, a former Senate president said yesterday.

Former Senate President and Liberal Party senatorial bet Franklin Drilon labeled as “excuses” Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr.’s claim that he indeed made the rounds with the PSE and SEC in 2007 when he was the Senate president but denied pressuring its officials for his or his companies’ gains.

Villar, in denying that he pressured the PSE, admitted that he made calls to the SEC and met with PSE officials, but said he never pressured them.

Drilon said the issue is not about violating laws but is more of a morality and ethical issue on the part of Villar, as well as delicadeza.

Gibo backs Duterte in fight with Nograles

BY REGINA BENGCO (Malaya)
Link: http://www.malaya.com.ph/04262010/news7.html

DAVAO CITY. –Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Saturday night expressed support for Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, even if the latter is backing his rival and second cousin Sen. Benigno Aquino III.

Teodoro, in a speech before a crowd of 2,000 at the Rizal Park here, said Duterte is a "real friend." He said he used to be Duterte’s lawyer in the 1990s.

"Gusto kong pasalamatan ang isang tunay na kaibigan. Bagama’t iba ang partido niya ay nirerespeto ko pa rin siya…Ang aking paghanga sa taong iyan ay hindi magbabago," he said, eliciting loud applause.

Duterte, who is running for vice mayor, and his daughter Sara, who is eyeing the mayoralty post, were not present during the campaign rally.

The administration candidate for mayor here, Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr., was also not around because of his feud with Teodoro.

Candidate Gloria hits campaign trail

By Tonette Orejas (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100426-266451/Candidate-Gloria-hits-campaign-trail

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—In her first sortie in Pampanga since the campaign period for local positions started on March 26, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sang Florante’s “Handog” on Saturday.

Pampanga gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda, a friend of the President’s, joined her in singing the familiar Filipino tune about gratitude at a gymnasium in Lubao, hometown of Ms Arroyo’s late father, former President Diosdado Macapagal.

Lakas-Kampi-CMD campaign coordinators said the rally’s host, Rosve Henson, put Ms Arroyo on the spot during the program by asking her to sing.

The President granted the request of her “cabalen” (province mates) for a song. She embraced Pineda as they sang before some 3,000 people.

Ms Arroyo, however, was unfamiliar with the lyrics of Handog. Her voice was drowned out by Pineda’s in most parts of the song, but it was clearer in the refrain:

Election 2010 News - April 23, 2010

• Comelec spendings for 2010 auto polls reach P10B (The Daily Tribune)
• Comelec: No 'ghost' polling precincts (The Philippine Star)
• Namfrel asks Comelec to publish poll automation expenses (The Philippine Star)
• Gordon sues SWS, Pulse Asia (The Philippine Star)
• 'KULANG SA KALYO' Why Escudero all the way for Binay, not Roxas (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Loren lashes out at bashers  (Malaya)
• Villar steered PSE - Erap deals complied with listing rules,NP bet camps says (Manila Bulletin)
• Gibo, Erap lead mock polls in Metro  (The Philippine Star)
• Lakas to give Gibo 15 Million votes - lawmakers (The Philippien Star)

Comelec spendings for 2010 auto polls reach P10B

By Marie Surbano (The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribune.net.ph/

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has spent more than P10 billion of the electoral body’s P16.5-billion budget for the country’s first ever computerized elections, the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) yesterday revealed.

Based on the data of Namfrel’s Bantay ng Bayan research, the poll body has spent 62 percent or around P10.241 billion of the total budget, including the P7.2-billion lease of the 82,200 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the May 10 electoral exercises.

Among the other spendings and acquisitions of the Comelec include P243 million for the 77,000 ballot boxes (P3,155 per box) awarded to Smartmatic International Corp.; P28 million for the 80,000 units of handheld portable UV lamps awarded to OTC Paper Corp.; P75.8 million for the purchase of 720,000 bottles of indelible ink (P105 per bottle) to Texas Resources Corp.; P499.1 million for the tracking and delivery of official ballots to Smartmatic; P519 million procurement of ballot box transportation with PCOS machines nationwide; P1.5 billion for the cleansing of computerized voters’ list to Unison Join Venture; P2.1 million for the nine units of copying machines (P234,000 per unit) to Copylandia Office Systems Corp.; and

Comelec: No 'ghost' polling precincts

By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569029&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday denied the existence of “ghost” polling centers in the list of precincts they asked Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. (TIM) to survey.

In a press briefing, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez belied an abs -cbnNews.com/Newsbreak report about “ghost” precincts in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Citing Smartmatic-TIM’s site survey reports to the Comelec, the news agency revealed that the joint venture’s surveyors have failed to locate 57 polling centers which pertain to public schools.

“It was a regular report and it was misinterpreted as ghost precincts because of findings that supposedly so and so number was not found by the team. It’s as simple as that. The report itself does not make any claim that there are missing precincts,” he noted.

Namfrel asks Comelec to publish poll automation expenses

By Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569026&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) has urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make public its spending for the automated election system (AES), saying that expenditures have already reached P10 billion, the biggest ever.

In a statement, Namfrel said the Comelec should exercise transparency and accountability by disclosing the funds it has spent for the 2010 elections.

“The budget for the elections has been set at P16.5 billion – P11.3 billion for AES... plus the P5.21-billion appropriation,” Namfrel claimed.

The P11.3 billion is earmarked under Republic Act 9525, specifically as supplemental appropriation for the AES.

Gordon sues SWS, Pulse Asia

By Reinir Padua (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569021&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Bagumbayan presidential candidate Sen. Richard Gordon yesterday filed with the Quezon City Regional Trial Court a P650,000 civil suit against survey firms Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia Inc. for negatively affecting his campaign.

Gordon asked the court to temporarily restrain the polling firms from conducting surveys and publishing survey results.

Gordon asked for P100,000 in nominal and tem perate damages, P500,000 in exemplary damages, and P50,000 in attorney’s fees.

“Without regard to their fundamental duty to act with justice to observe honesty and good faith, defendants SWS and Pulse Asia, for pecuniary gain and solely for reasons intended to favor their moneyed clients, have published false, fraudulent, biased and defective surveys which have undermined the campaign of Senator Gordon and (former MMDA) Chairman Bayani (Fernando) and made them as unwinnable contenders for president and vice president, respectively,” the 26-page complaint said.

‘KULANG SA KALYO’ Why Escudero all the way for Binay, not Roxas

By Cathy C. Yamsuan (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100423-265949/Why-Escudero-all-the-way-for-Binay-not-Roxas

MANILA, Philippines—“Kulang sa kalyo,” Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero says of Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.

In plain talk, Roxas is a spring chicken, rather than a fighting cock.

That’s why, Escudero said in a television interview Thursday, he had decided to support Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, running mate of ex-President Joseph Estrada.

Binay fits Escudero’s idea of a vice president.

“Not someone rich, not an ‘ilustrado,’ one who is courageous, a man of honor and a genuine member of the opposition,” he told ANC’s Karen Davila.

Asked if his support for Binay was aimed at thwarting Roxas’ anticipated run for the presidency in 2016, the 40-year-old Escudero said, “I am nearsighted.”

Loren lashes out at bashers

BY JP LOPEZ (Malaya)
Link: http://www.malaya.com.ph/04232010/news9.html

BACOLOD CITY – Nacionalista Party vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda on Thursday described as "delusional" the candidates of Liberal Party for linking her and her party to the move of Andal Ampatuan Jr., prime suspect in the Maguindanao massacre, to endorse the candidacy of Benigno Aquino III and his running-mate Manuel Roxas II.

"My only response is one word, delusional. Wag kayo mawawala sa sarili!" she said.

"Yung presidential candidate, yung president nila wala sa isip, yung vice presidential candidate nagpapadyak, umiiyak pag nag-aalyansa ang NP-NPC. Yung mga kanditotong vice president at pagka-senador delusional. Sana magpakatotoo naman ang mga Liberal. Wag naman delusional," she added.

Sen. Edgardo Angara said it was malicious of the LP to link him, through his lawyers, to the endorsement of Ampatuan, who last week proclaimed he was for the NP’s Manny Villar.

The endorsement was made in a press conference held by the detainee.

Villar steered PSE – Erap Deals complied with listing rules, NP bet’s camp says

By RIO ROSE RIBAYA and HANNAH L. TORREGOZA (Manila Bulletin)
Link: http://mb.com.ph/articles/254115/villar-steered-pse-erap

Former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada definitely saved the best for the last crunch of the campaign period when he exposed Thursday the alleged illegal activities of Nacionalista Party (NP)s standard-bearer Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar to propel his presidential bid in May 10 elections.

With only two weeks left remaining to campaign, Estrada dared Villar to explain allegations that he “manipulated the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) and duped investors” to buy shares of stocks from his company, Vista Land & Lifescapes (VLL), Inc.

But lawyer Nalen Rosero-Galang, chief legal officer for Villar, said the public offering of the shares of stock of Vista Land & Lifescapes was done in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Regulation Code and the rules of the Philippine Stock Exchange.

“I've chosen to break my silence on issues that have bearing not just on this campaign but on the future of our beloved country, especially the poor. I've always believed in pursuing an honorable campaign based on a high level issues and not on mudslinging,” Estrada said in a press conference Thursday.

Gibo, Erap lead mock polls in Metro

By Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=568870&publicationSubCategoryId=65

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate and former defense secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino former President Joseph Estrada are dominating mock polls in Metro Manila’s slum districts, newly-formed “Green Army Brigades” (GAB) bared yesterday.

Daisy Bardoquillo, head of the Kilusan ng mga Aktwal na Naninirahan sa Estado ng Payatas (Kanepa) and spokesperson of the newly-formed Green Army Brigades, said that results of mock polls they have been conducting since last month among informal settlers in Metro Manila, were in total contrast to the survey results being released by the Social Weather Station (SWS) and the Pulse Asia.

“Our own surveys had Teodoro winning popular support among the urban poor. In six big events attended by leaders of urban poor groups held in March and early April, a total of 963 joined the mock polls conducted after the meetings,” Bardoquillo said. Joven Pajora, president of the Parola Binondo Coalition, also of GAB said Teodoro was the top choice for President with 464 respondents voting for him.

Lakas to give Gibo 15 million votes - lawmaker

By Jess Diaz (The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=569027&publicationSubCategoryId=63
 

MANILA, Philippines - The nationwide political machinery of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD will deliver at least 15 million votes to party standard-bearer Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said yesterday.

“It is our machinery that will carry Gibo to victory,” he told the Serye Café news forum in Quezon City.

Barzaga said of the country’s 1,500 town mayors, 1,200 are affiliated with Lakas-Kampi.

“If each of them delivers just 10,000 votes to Gibo, he will have 12 million votes from municipal mayors. We have 66 city mayors. If they can each deliver an additional 50,000, that’s more than three million more for a total of 15 million votes, enough to make Gibo our next president,” he said.

Election 2010 News - April 22, 2010

• Bets' ad budget top funding for govt hospitals (The Manila Times)
• Smartmatic inks service contract with telcos for auto polls (The Philippine Star)
• Melo says postponement of polls 'unconstitutional' (The Philippine Star)
• Legarda pulls out ads, uses funds to feed the poor (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Lakas expects defectors from rival camps (The Manila TImes)
• Reveal favored bets, Lakas dares pollsters (The Daily Tribune)
• Gibo pull off come from behind victory - Lakas (The Philippine Star)

Bets’ ad budgets top funding for govt hospitals

BY FRANK LLOYD TIONGSON Reporter (The Manila Times )
Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/15781-bets-ad-budgets-top-funding-for-govt-hospitals

A consortium of electoral-reform advocates and civil society groups on Wednesday renewed calls for stricter regulation of provisions of the Fair Election Practices Act after they found that spending on advertisements of top contenders for the highest elective posts in the country exceeds that of the government on state hospitals and social services.

The Pera’t Politika (PaP) 2010 Consortium told reporters during a press conference in Quezon City on Wednesday that Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. had spent P273 million on advertisements during the first 60 days of the campaign period and Sen. Bengino “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd, P176 million.

In surveys, Villar and Aquino are the frontrunners in the May 10 elections, which will pick the successor to President Gloria Arroyo.

According to the PaP 2010 Consortium, Villar’s P273 million is more than the allocated budget for state hospitals such as the Quirino Memorial Medical Center with P207 million and the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center with P179 million, among others.