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.

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.

Gibo tops online survey; Erap second, Noynoy fourth

By Charlie V. Manalo (The Daily Tribune)
Link: http://www.tribune.net.ph/

Debunking results from long suspected-tainted opinion polling firms, voters in an on-line survey picked administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro as top bet, deposed President Joseph Estrada a close second, while perennial survey frontrunner Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III landed a mere fourth place behind fierce rival, Sen. Manuel “Manny Villar Jr.

It was Teodoro’s third time in a week’s time to either come out No. 1 or No.2, having topped the online polls conducted by the Manila Bulletin newspaper. He also came in second in a separate survey done by Dutch finance giant ING.

This time in the BusinessWorld survey, Gibo picked up 26.50 percent of the 102,057 voters polled to top the poll; followed by Pwersa ng Masa’s Estrada with 25.77 percent.

Villar, of the Nacionalista Party, came in third place with 19.07 percent; while Aquino of the Liberal Party came in fourth place with 18.62 percent.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Bangon Pilipinas party was fifth with 2.52 percent, followed by Nicanor Perlas III (2.53 percent); John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes (1.90 percent); Jamby Madrigal (1.71 percent); and Richard Gordon (1.56 percent).

NO FREE PASS FOR PRE-CAMPAIGN ADS Top bets liable for breach of ethics; donors for taxes

By Malou Mangahas (Malaya) Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
http://www.malaya.com.ph/03232010/news4.html

THEY probably thought they got a free pass to flood television with political ads beyond the airtime and spending limits set in law, having run commercials before the 90-day campaign period could start last February 9.

But the top candidates for president and vice president, as well as those who donated and bankrolled their pre-campaign ads, had better think again, according to lawyers and officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

By the letter and spirit of anti-graft and tax laws, say the lawyers and tax officials, their pre-campaign period airing of political ads does not free the candidates and their donors of all liabilities.

By PCIJ’s calculations, the combined actual ad spending of six presidential candidates and four vice-presidential candidates from November 1, 2009 to February 8, 2010 comes up to P1.472 billion. By most standards, the amount is huge enough to compromise these candidates, most of whom are incumbent public officials.

The figure is also huge enough to shore up the tax collection drive of the BIR amid the country’s rising fiscal deficit -- if the candidates’ donors have paid taxes.

Just last week, BIR Commissioner Joel Tan-Torres said his agency has collected only P100 million from the five-percent withholding tax slapped on all political contributions and campaign expenditures of candidates during the campaign period.

Vice presidential bets trade barbs in debate

By Aurea Calica – With Perseus Echeminada, Mike Frialde, Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star) 

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=560521&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Six candidates for vice president traded barbs and grilled each other during a televised debate aired last Sunday night.

Leading vice presidential candidate Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II of the Liberal Party had a face-off with Sen. Loren Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the Nacionalista Party, who criticized her main rival over the expanded value added tax, Cheaper Medicine Law and land distribution.

Legarda was fierce in grilling Roxas, who implied that she was a hypocrite and a political butterfly for transferring to various parties.

The debate dubbed as “Harapan” was organized by ABS-CBN and held at the La Consolacion College in Manila. Members of the audience were each given a “truth meter” and were told to vote on whether the answer of the candidates was “believable” or “not believable.”

Roxas registered high scores on the believability of his answers while Legarda did poorly despite her attacks on the LP bet every chance she got. Roxas laughed off some of the issues raised by Legarda.

Legarda and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, the vice presidential bet of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, gave dramatic opening and closing remarks to the viewers while former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando of Bagumbayan even wore an engineer’s hat to call attention to his training and his qualifications to be vice president.

Presidential hopefuls offer solutions to Mindanao woes

by SARAH JANE R. HILOMENhttp://mb.com.ph/articles/247100/presidential-hopefuls-offer-solutions-mindanao-woes

DAVAO CITY — Presidential aspirants positioned their proposed solutions to the different problems that are beleaguering Mindanao during last Tuesday’s presidential forum held at the covered court of Ateneo De Davao University.

The forum dubbed as Panaghisgut-hisgut 2010 Mindanao Presidential Forum sponsored by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Incorporated, Southern Mindanao Tourism Council, Mindanao Business Council and ADDU was attended by the presidential candidates except Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Sen. Manny Villar.

The candidates discussed the peace problem, energy crisis, mining and other issues plaguing Mindanao.

The dry spell in the country has not only affected farmers’ crops but has also resulted in the reduction of power supply in the largely hydro-powered island. The candidates were asked what they would do to solve the current power shortage.

Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon and former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro both called for exploring the possibility of utilizing nuclear power to boost the power needs of Mindanao.

Gordon said nuclear power is already being used by the neighboring Asian countries so there is no reason why the Philippines should not also do the same.

Remulla: Jamby seeking LP favors

by Raul S. Beltran (Journal)

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/national/4876-remulla-jamby-seeking-lp-favors.html

NACIONALISTA Party senatorial candidate Gilbert Remulla yesterday accused independent presidential bet Jamby Madrigal of seeking a Cabinet position should Liberal Party presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III if he wins in the May elections in exchange for a continuing mudslinging against NP standard-bearer Manuel Villar Jr.

Remulla, also the NP spokesman, described Madrigal as “suicide bomber in yellow, who is not in the (presidential) campaign but as a mouthpiece of the Liberal Party.”

Remulla’s comment was in reaction to Madrigal’s claims that she was offered P1 billion to stop her from filing corruption charges against the former Senate president.

The former Cavite congressman maintained that Madrigal, whose ratings “have stayed in the dumps,” has no chance of winning the presidential race.

“She continues to plod on because her agenda is different: to be an attack dog of our opponents. She has practically rewritten the book on dirty campaigning,” he said.

Remulla also challenged Madrigal to answer the questions on “her unique brand of campaigning.”

Aquino, Villar apologize for Davao forum no-show

by JP LOPEZ (Malaya)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/03112010/news4.html

KABACAN, Cotabato – Nacionalista Party standard bearer Manuel Villar yesterday apologized to religious leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy for his failure to attend the presidential forum Tuesday in Davao City.

The forum, organized by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ which was founded by Quiboloy, featured presidential bets former President Joseph Estrada, Gilberto Teodoro, Richard Gordon, Jamby Madrigal, Nicanor Perlas and Eddie Villanueva.

Aside from Villar, Liberal Party’s Benigno Aquino III also failed to attend the forum.

Aquino, in letter to Quiboloy, claimed he was advised by his doctor to skip traveling by air for two days due to a nasal ailment.

Villar was reported to have stayed at a nearby hotel in Davao City for the duration of the forum.

"Humihingi kami ng paumanhin subalit grabe talaga ang demand ng kampanya at nakita ninyo naman na kulang na kulang ang oras sa pag-ikot. Talagang hirap na hirap ang mga kandidato at talagang malakas ang pressure considering na dalawang buwan nalang ang nalalabi sa kampanya," Villar said in an interview after he arrived at the University of Southern Mindanao in this town.

Noynoy, Manny are no-shows; pastor fumes

by JP LOPEZ (Malaya)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/03102010/news5.html

DAVAO CITY – THE two leading contenders for the presidency based on surveys snubbed a presidential forum sponsored by Kingdom of Jesus Christ headed by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

Quiboloy scoffed at Liberal Party presidential bet Benigno Aquino III for reneging on his commitment to attend the forum.

Quiboloy said he was disappointed since it was Aquino who chose the date for the forum.

Quiboloy said the forum was originally scheduled on Feb. 11 but because Aquino was not available at that time, he said he asked Aquino to choose the date.

In his e-mail to Quiboloy, Aquino said doctors advised him to prevent any travel by any craft for at least two days because he was suffering from barosinusitis.

"As previously arranged, I already marked and prioritized this event in my schedule and I’m eagerly looking forward to meeting you personally," Aquino in the letter read by Quiboloy before the start of the forum.

"However much as I’d like to participate in the said forum, I deeply regret to inform you that I have been advised by my physicians to provisionally defer any flights due to barosinusitis. My doctors have advised me to provisionally avoid any travel by aircraft for at least two consecutive days because any atmospheric or barometric pressure will only aggravate my present condition," Aquino further said.

Barosinusitis or baratrauma of the paranasal sinusitis, as defined by a medical dictionary, "is a risk factor for anyone exposed to ambient pressure changes."

But Quiboloy appeared dissatisfied with Aquino’s explanation.

Madrigal ‘vindicated’ over price of ‘galunggong’

by Jerry E. Esplanada (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100303-256441/Madrigal-vindicated-over-price-of-galunggong

MANILA, Philippines – “I am finally vindicated ... I am right after all."

So thought Senator Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal during her late night campaign sortie Tuesday at the Navotas Fishport, Metro Manila's biggest seafood market.

Madrigal was “very happy” about the warm welcome she got at the wholesale and retail fish market along Manila Bay, where she gave away hundreds of “Jamby bracelets.”

But something else really made the independent presidential candidate's night.

“I learned that here at Navotas Fishport, galunggong [round scad] is sold for only P45 a kilo. Well, I am finally vindicated,” Madrigal told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

She recalled that during a recent presidential forum sponsored by this paper, held at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, she said that the price of galunggong was “P60.”

Madrigal asks US to stop military aid to RP

by Jerry E. Esplanada (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100224-255200/Madrigal-asks-US-to-stop-military-aid-to-RP

MANILA, Philippines -- Independent presidential bet and Senator Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal has called for an immediate stop to US military aid to the Philippines, in view of the questionable arrest and detention of 43 health workers suspected of being communist insurgents.

Madrigal expressed hope, on Wednesday, that the Obama administration would “see it fit to withhold Washington's military assistance until human rights abuses, such as the case of the ‘Morong 43,’ are fully resolved.”

Extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, illegal arrests and politically motivated prosecution of activists have become basic features of the Arroyo administration, noted Madrigal. According to the independent presidential candidate, “US assistance should not be used as an instrument to further violate human rights.

In 2009, the US Congress withheld $2 million in military aid from the Philippines reportedly due to human rights concerns.

Madrigal says Villar ads will also reach saturation point

by Maila Ager (INQUIRER.net)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100223-254926/Madrigal-says-Villar-ads-will-also-reach-saturation-point

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Manny Villar’s fierce critic and rival in the presidential race believed his political advertisements would also reach a saturation point.

Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, an independent presidential candidate, said during a presidential forum in Makati City on Tuesday that Villar has the advantage of always being seen on television because of his money.

“If it’s Manny Villar’s face you want to see, then of course he has the advantage of being seen…,” said Madrigal.

“But I pray to God that that works to his disadvantage because sometimes there’s a saturation level. I’m sure the ads experts will know,” she said.

IF ELECTED: 3 presidential bets to waive rights to bank secrecy

by DJ Yap (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100223-254901/3-presidential-bets-to-waive-rights-to-bank-secrecy

MANILA, Philippines—Senators Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and Olongapo city councilor JC De Los Reyes pledged Tuesday to waive their rights under the Bank Secrecy Law to open their accounts to the public if elected president.

Appearing at the Second Integrity and Human Rights Conference at Hotel Intercontinental Manila, Aquino said he would do so to prove his sincerity in fighting corruption.

But he said he would not presume that members of his Cabinet would do the same, as bank accounts were in the realm of individuals' privacy, protected by the Bill of Rights.

De Los Reyes said he would extend this waiver to his wife. "They won't find anything (in our accounts) anyway," he said.

Madrigal to make amends with Judy Ann

by Jerry E. Esplanada (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100216-253564/Madrigal-to-make-amends-with-Judy-Ann

MANILA, Philippines—Calling herself and popular actress Judy Ann Santos "victims of politics and politicians," Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal said on Tuesday she did not mean to offend the actress when she said she regretted tapping a celebrity as an endorser when she first run for the Senate in 2004.

Santos was Madrigal’s top celebrity endorser in 2004.

Madrigal blamed the camp of Sen. Manuel "Manny" Villar for pitting her against her celebrity endorser during the 2004 senatorial polls.

‘Presidentiables’ divided on new taxes

from Business World
http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=6363

WITH LACKLUSTER REVENUES perennially tagged as holding back the country’s development, five of seven presidential hopefuls attending a forum yesterday rejected the imposition of new taxes.

Present at the 13th annual Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines’ Prospects Forum were Sen. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" C. Aquino III, Sen. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" A. S. Madrigal, Nicanor "Nicky" Jesus P. Perlas, Eduardo "Bro. Eddie" C. Villanueva, Olongapo City councilor John Carlos "JC" G. de los Reyes, former Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr., and Sen. Richard J. Gordon.

The absent ’presidentiables’, meanwhile, were Sen. Manuel B. Villar, Jr., former President Joseph Estrada, and Vitaliano Acosta.

Mr. Aquino, statistically tied at the top with Mr. Villar, reiterated his position that "it is not right to raise tax rates or impose new taxes when the collection agencies are not collecting properly."

This was echoed by Messrs. Perlas and Villanueva.

Ms. Madrigal, for her part, said she would rather seek to revert the VAT to 10% from the current 12%.

‘Bongbong’ seeks election of more female lawmakers

by GABRIEL S. MABUTAS (Manila Bulletin)

http://mb.com.ph/articles/243500/bongbong-seeks-election-more-female-lawmakers

Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., Sunday urged the public to elect more female legislators to ensure fast approval of measures that would protect women’s rights and concerns.

Marcos noted that although the country had elected two women to the presidency, the women sector remain underrepresented in both chambers of Congress – the Senate and House of Representatives.

He said the May 10 elections could be a good opportunity for people to elect additional congresswomen and lady senators.

“Here in the Lower House, there are a small number of women legislators, which is also the case in the Senate. If there are an adequate number of women in Congress, we can be assured of more laws intended for women,” Marcos said.

Marcos said that while it is true that a good number of male lawmakers are willing to support women-related legislations, it is still different if women themselves would push for laws related to women’s welfare.

“There really are cases in which it takes time for women-related laws to be crafted. I guess it would be easier for Congress to come up with these kinds of laws if there are enough women legislators,” Marcos pointed out.

At present there are only four lady senators in the 24-member Senate. They are Senators Loren Legarda, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Jamby Madrigal and Pia Cayetano

Wealthy families ganging up on me, Villar

by Maila Ager (INQUIRER.net) 

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100214-253177/Wealthy-families-ganging-up-on-me-Villar

HONG KONG – Senator Manny Villar has further intensified the debate in the presidential race by attacking the wealthy families of Aquino, Cojuangco, Araneta and Madrigal.

Speaking before the militant migrant workers here on Sunday, Villar lamented how the country was being run by very few wealthy families.

“Sabi ko nga, ang namumuno ng ating bansa, ay pareho parehong mga pangalan. Sila sila na lamang . Mga Madrigal, Araneta, Cojuangco and Aquino . Tingnan mo ang nangyari sa ating bansa (People running our country are the same, same family name, Madrigal, Araneta, Cojuangco and Aquino. Look what happened to our country),” he said.

Jamby’s Valentine for ‘Ka Bel’

by Jerry E. Esplanada (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100214-253095/Jambys-Valentine-for-Ka-Bel

IN FINLAND, IRAN AND MOST OF LATIN America, where it is called “Ystavanpaiva,” “Esfandegan” and “Día del Amor y la Amistad,” respectively, Valentine’s Day is more about remembering friends, not just loved ones.

And that’s exactly how Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal plans to spend Feb. 14 this year.

For Madrigal, an independent presidential candidate, and her French husband Eric Jean Claude Valade, “every day is Valentine’s Day.”

“But there are other people who have been part of my life as a legislator who are also worth remembering on Valentine’s Day. ‘Ka Bel’ is one of them,” Madrigal told the Inquirer.

Villar on Madrigal: I’ll refer her to my barber

by Michael Lim Ubac (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100212-252708/Villar-on-Madrigal-Ill-refer-her-to-my-barber

STA. ROSA CITY— He could give her a tip or two whenever she’s having a bad hair day checking out the price of galunggong.

Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manny Villar on Thursday made what was perhaps his most “cutting” remark in retaliation for the repeated attacks he got from a rival during Monday’s Inquirer-sponsored presidential debate.

“I will just refer her to my barber. She said she likes my hair,” Villar told reporters covering his campaign sortie here, referring to arch-critic Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal.

Asked in the Inquirer debate if there was anything nice she could say about Villar, Madrigal then merely quipped in Filipino: “His dyed hair looks good.”

Madrigal: Anybody but Legarda for VP

By Jerry E. Esplanada (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100212-252715/Madrigal-Anybody-but-Legarda-for-VP

“’WAG NA ’WAG SI (DEFINITELY NOT) Loren Legarda. Si Mar Roxas daw ang suportahan namin sa pagka-bise presidente (She said we should support Mar Roxas for vice president),” Elisa Reyes, a bagoong vendor, quoted Sen. Jamby Madrigal as telling her during a brief chat at Nepa Q-Mart in Quezon City, one of two public markets the independent presidential candidate visited Thursday.

Legarda is running as a guest candidate of the Nacionalista Party (NP) whose standard-bearer is Sen. Manuel Villar, while Roxas is the running mate of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, candidate for president of the Liberal Party (LP).

During her stops at Nepa Q-Mart and later the Muñoz public market farther up the road, Madrigal made good on her promise to make Villar-bashing a staple of her sorties.

“If (he is) elected president, there will be no limit to Manny Villar’s greed,” she warned.