Ban on celebrities endorsing bets unfair—Sotto

By Leila Salaverria (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100211-252589/Ban-on-celebrities-endorsing-bets-unfairSotto

MANILA, Philippines – Senatorial candidate Vicente Sotto III has called the law requiring actors to go on leave if they were endorsing election candidates during the campaign as unfair and would put Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno Aquino III at a disadvantage.

At the same time, it would favor Lakas-Kampi candidate Gilbert Teodoro Jr. because he has no celebrity endorsers with ongoing live TV shows, Sotto said.

Although Sotto has said it could also favor Nacionalista Party candidate Manuel Villar, only Dolphy has no active TV show at the moment among Villar’s celebrity endorsers. TV host Willie Revillame and singer actress Sarah Geronimo, also Villar endorsers, continue to appear in TV shows.

The most well-known celebrity in Teodoro's camp, on the other hand, is senatorial candidate Ramon Revilla Jr.
Aquino's most high-profile supporter is his sister, TV host and actress Kris Aquino.

Sotto of the Nationalist People's Coalition, said both he and Aquino had no deep war chests and have been banking on their celebrity kin to reach more people.

“Noynoy and I have no money. We're just depending on our siblings who are celebrities,” he said over the phone, on Thursday.