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.

‘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.”

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 expects defectors from rival camps

By Jefferson Antiporda, Francis Earl A. Cueto and Rhadz B. Barcia(The Manila Times) 

Link: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/15782-lakas-expects-defectors-from-rival-camps

THINGS are looking up for former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro because stalwarts from other political parties are reportedly planning to jump ship and support the ruling party’s standard-bearer in the May 10 elections.

According to Reggie Velasco, the deputy secretary general of Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), more politicians from the rival parties have signified their intention to support Teodoro, whom they said is the most qualified among the candidates seeking to succeed President Gloria Arroyo.

Velasco said things are still under negotiations and that they could not disclose any details yet on the transfer of the politicians to the ruling party. What is sure, according to him, is that there are politicians who have sent feelers to defect to the camp of Teodoro.

Meanwhile, Rep. Amelita Villarosa of Occidental Mindoro, the Lakas-Kampi CMD chairman, has announced that Rep. George Arnaiz of Negros Oriental, who belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), would be supporting the bid of the former Defense secretary but that Arnaiz will stay with his current party.

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).

Erap says he's for Gibo

By Charlie Lagasca ( The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=568107&publicationSubCategoryId=63

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines – Former President Joseph Estrada disclosed here over the weekend that if he was not running for president he would vote for administration presidential candidate Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.

Estrada, presidential bet of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, cited Teodoro’s brilliance and ability to lead the nation.

“My only edge (over Teodoro) is my popularity and vast experience (in public service) while Gibo has the makings of a great leader,” he said.

He said that he is open to talk with Teodoro for a possible alliance of their camps.

“We are open to talks with Secretary Teodoro if he wants to. Our doors are open to whoever is willing to work with us,” he said.

Villar, NP court Muslim vote

By Christina Mendez ( The Philippine Star)
Link: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=566931&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur , Philippines – Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. and the party’s senatorial slate yesterday received a strong show of support from local leaders who gathered 20,000 supporters for their political rally in Barangay Banggolo.

The NP has allied with local party Ummah-Ompia led by re-electionist Gov. Omar Ali Solitario and sworn in local leaders from the province’s 38 municipalities.

In expressing his support for Villar, Marawi second district congressional candidate Jun Macarambon took potshots at other presidential candidates who he claims are “insensitive” to the Mindanao peace process.

Macarambon claimed that Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada practically declared an all-out war in Mindanao when he delivered a speech during his campaign sortie in Davao.

Villar gains slightly in poll; Aquino still up

By Nikko Dizon

From Philippine Daily Inquirer Link: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100412-263752/Villar-gains-slightly-in-poll-Aquino-still-up

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Manuel Villar, Nacionalista Party standard-bearer, gained a point in a voters’ opinion poll paid for by an ally, but his strongest rival, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party, remained ahead by 8 percentage points.
In the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and conducted two weeks ago, 37 percent of the respondents said they would vote for Aquino while 29 percent said they would support Villar.
Former President Joseph Estrada got 17 percent, down two points from 19 percent, while administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro gained 2 points, receiving 8 percent.
There was practically no movement in the standings of all the nine presidential candidates as the changes, if any, in their ratings were well within the margin of error of plus or minus 2.1 percentage points.
The survey, conducted from March 28 to 30, covered 2,100 respondents nationwide. The previous SWS survey was conducted from March 19 to 22.
The respondents were asked in Filipino, “Of the names on the list, who would you likely vote for if the presidential election were held today?”
Villar’s confidence of finally overtaking Aquino has not wavered despite the Liberal Party standard-bearer’s 8-point lead.
“Dikit na yan (That’s almost neck and neck) in an election,” Villar said at a press conference at the General Santos City airport Sunday afternoon.
Aquino welcomed the results of the latest SWS survey.

Erap flays GMA-7 for smear job

By Gerry Baldo

From The Daily Tribune

Link: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100412hed2.html

As his numbers rise in the surveys, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard bearer former President Joseph Estrada said the media are again demonizing him.

Estrada, in an interview during a campaign rally in Malabon on Friday, accused GMA-7 of kicking off a demolition job on him when it came out with a report about his Statement of Assets Liabilities and Networth (SALN) a few days ago.

“They have started the smear job against me, about my SALN. It was all too sudden after my rating at number three started to go up,” he said.

Estrada expressed apprehensions that the media would again ruin his image similar to when he was ousted in 2001.

“My ratings have started to improve and the demonization scheme was started by Channel 7

yesterday,” he said. He added that despite such efforts from media his supporters had not left him.

“Inspite of the demonization of the media when I was incarcerated, the people has not left me. To prove that, Dr. Loi, my wife, and my son, Jinggoy, were elected as senators even if I was incarcerated. They were elected as senators when I was behind bars. That goes to show that the masses have never left me inspite of the demonization of the media against me,” he said.

Estrada also compared to his past movies where he has portrayed the role of the underdog who later on always won his fight in the end, his bid for the presidency.

“Like in the movies I have always been an underdog, but in the end I always win,” Estrada told reporters.

Estrada, reacting to reports that he is trailing behind the presidential race in a three-cornered fight between him and senators Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal Party and Manny Villar of the Nationalista Party, said that he is taking his chances.

“I’m a risk taker ok, I am a risk taker...” he said in an interview that was incessantly interrupted by campaign jingles of his partymates who were delivering their pieces on the stage set up in the middle of a road in Malabon.

Estrada also said that nobody can stop him from pursuing the presidency that was forcibly taken away from him in 2001.

“Nobody can stop me and nobody can make me withdraw. Only death can make me withdraw,” he said despite offers for him to withdraw from the race and despite the party’s meagre resources.

Binay asks Comelec to probe GMA’s midnight appointments

by Jerico Javier & Alex T. Silva

From Journal Online

Link: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/national/6287-binay-asks-comelec-to-probe-gmas-midnight-appointments.html

OPPOSITION vice-presidential bet Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay yesterday said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) should apply its diligence in counting the television airtime of candidates to investigating motu proprio President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s recent midnight appointments.

“If the poll body is so gung ho in reprimanding candidates who have exceeded their television advertisement allotment, then it should apply the same proactive stance in determining if Mrs. Arroyo had exceeded her authority in making election-period appointments,” he said.

Binay said if the Comelec can “micro count the seconds” of candidates’ TV ads then it cannot ignore a big issue like Mrs. Arroyo’s wholesale release of new appointment papers to high-government positions.

He said the Comelec had even reprimanded candidates for plastering posters in wrong places and detailed the size of the posters and the places where they should be put.

“I hope this vigilance and attention to detail should be applied on Mrs. Arroyo’s midnight appointments as well. It cannot be so finicky on posters while being insensitive on presidential appointments,” Binay said.

He insisted that the issue of midnight Cabinet and judicial appointments deserve the Comelec’s attention more than poster violations. “The ban on last-minute executive appointments is written in the Constitution,” he said.

Binay said it is within the Comelec’s powers to summon Mrs. Arroyo’s official representative and make him explain, in person or in writing, the legal basis for the recent appointments she had made.

“The Comelec need not wait for a complainant . It can initiate the scrutiny on its own. After all, its job is to monitor compliance with election laws, so if it sees a violation, then it should immediately blow the whistle,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada accused President Arroyo of being the opposite of his father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, for the midnight appointments she made despite the ban on them because of the coming elections.

Estrada made the accusation as a reaction to the midnight appointments made by Malacañang recently, including the appointments of a new member of the Court of Appeals and the Philippine ambassador to Germany.

“’Di niya sinusunod ang batas, mabuti pa ang tatay niya. Dapat sundin na lamang n’ya ’yun. Dapat what her father done she should follow, tatay niya ’yun ’di niya sinusunod,” Estrada said the other night during a campaign sortie in Cainta, Rizal.

Estrada recounted that GMA’s father denounced the “midnight appointments” made by his predecessor, former President Carlos P. Garcia.

Estrada added that despite the good example of her father, President Arroyo failed to follow his legacy as she violated the law by appointing government officials despite the ban.

Estrada welcomes admin local bets to PMP

by Jerico Javier
From Journal Online

Link: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/national/6286-estrada-welcomes-admin-local-bets-to-pmp.html

PWERSA ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada said the party welcomes local administration bets who wanted to “jump ship” from their party except those who were involved in graft and corruption.

This developed as Estrada said the transfer of some local administration bets, including his former bestfriend ex-Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson, to the camp of presidential bet Sen. Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party will not affect his candidacy.

“I don’t think it will matter, meron naman kaming leader du’n sa Ilocos Sur,” Estrada told reporters.

But Estrada refused to comment nor confirm the speculation being circulated that the transfer of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD bets to other political parties confirms the alleged ties of Villar to the present administration.

“Hindi natin alam, hindi ko pa confirmed. Nababalitaan lang ’yan, eh. Naririnig ko lang pero wala akong confirmation,” Estrada said.

However, he said he heard that several candidates are planning to join the PMP.

“Okay lang lumipat ’yung mga taga-administration na walang kaso, pero ’yung mga tainted with graft and corruption, hindi ko pwedeng tanggapin ’yun,” Estrada also said.

Meanwhile, Estrada and his running mate Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay were both elated with the result of the recent survey showing they both improved in their rating.

Estrada and Binay said that instead of spending too much on television ads, they will both go “direct” to the people along with their senatorial bets.

“Basta’t maging malinis at marangal ang darating na halalan, labis-labis ang galak sa pagsasama namin ni Pangulong Erap, eh, mananalo po kami sa darating na halalan,” Binay said in an interview.

PMP party hold their campaign sorties in Laguna yesterday. They motored to Siniloan, Sta. Cruz and Calamba

Partylist kinokontrol ng mga mayayaman

Nina BTaguinod/DMatining/RMiranda (Abante) 

http://abante.com.ph/issue/mar2510/news04.htm

PUERTO PRINCESA --- Nakokontrol na ng mga mayayaman ang partylist system dahil inaagawan na ng mga ito ng pagkakataon ang mga margina­lized sector na magkaroon ng kinatawan sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso.

Ito ang pahayag ni da­ting Pangulong Joseph Estrada na nagbantang kanyang paaamyendahan ang partylist law kapag siya ang nanalong pangulo ng bansa sa Mayo at hara­ngin ang mga mayayaman na maging congressman gamit ang sistemang ito.

“Siguro kailangan sa next Congress kailangan pag-aralan nang mabuti ang partylist, eh ang iba, are taking advantage of it. Ang partylist eh suppo­sedly para sa marginalized representatives. Eh puro mayayaman so ginagamit lang ang partylist to dominate Congress,” pahayag ni Estrada.

Inihalimbawa nito si Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel ‘Mikey’ Arroyo na first nominee ng Ang Galing Pinoy partylist at tiyahin nito na si Kasangga partylist Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo na walang maniniwalang galing ang mga ito sa marginalized sector.

Nais din umano nitong paimbestigahan kung bakit lahat ng mga kakampi ni Arroyo na nagtayo ng partylist organization ay agad na inaprubahan ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) samantala ang iba na galing talaga, aniya, sa margina­lized sector ay ibinasura ang aplikasyon.

Selling Gibo Teodoro in Manila’s markets

By Regina Bengco (Malaya)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/03232010/news3.html

"HUWAG kayong mahiya, kamayan ninyo (Don’t be shy, shake his hand)," aides of administration presidential bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said encouragingly.

The subjects – the lady vendors of the Blumentritt market in Manila – stood beside their wares, arms stiff at their sides, hesitating as their curious eyes regarded the tall mestizo guy in a light green short-sleeved polo shirt surrounded by supporters in darker shades of green.

Teodoro crossed the pavement, and shook their hand, smiling reassuringly.

"He looks taller in person than in his commercial," one vendor said.

"Iyan sana ang pinakamagaling sa lahat, kaya lang naka-ano kay Gloria (Arroyo)," someone remarked.

Soon, Teodoro was on a roll, shaking hands, exchanging banter, and setting people at ease by speaking to them in Ilocano.

"Raul!" he called to his senatorial candidate, Raul Lambino who was also busy shaking hands and distributing campaign materials, "They are your province mates. From Pangasinan."

Gibo’s gameplan

by Jojo A. Robles (Manila Standard)
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideOpinion.htm?f=2010/march/23/jojorobles.isx&d=2010/march/23

People who defend the iron grip that certain families have had on the politics of this country for generations like to say that the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. The reality, of course, isn’t so easily contained in any aphorism, no matter how quaint and hoary.

Children may share the looks or other physical qualities of their parents, just as siblings and even cousins possess the same superficial attributes. But that’s as far as it goes, unless one is making a case to elect someone on the sole basis of familial ties.

We’ve seen this tree-to-fruit correspondence worked near to death in the case of Noynoy Aquino, even if we have no proof whatsoever that Noynoy is as politically astute and overachieving as his father or as sincere and well-meaning as his mother. Then, of course, there’s the matter of Kris Aquino, who shares even fewer of the outward attributes of either of her parents and who still has no qualms of pushing her brother’s candidacy—and even of explaining her own actions—because of this family connection.

If the people who regularly make this all-too-easy conclusion were truly honest, they’ll admit that they are merely justifying their own political leanings. Or simply hoping that the admirable qualities of the parents could somehow—despite a ton of evidence to the contrary—be transferred to their offspring.

Indeed, even the Aquino camp has already moved on from the Ninoy-Cory link that they constantly bombarded people with at the beginning of the campaign, perhaps after seeing how this strategy has only made Noynoy steadily lose ground to his less pedigreed rivals. After all, if Noynoy did somehow inherit his forebears’ good qualities (and only the good ones, mind you), what does that make Gibo Teodoro, who comes from the same family, after all?

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.

Lakas-Kampi coalition plans decisive ‘Battle of the Bulge’

By Winston A. Marbella (Philippine Daily Inquirer) 

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100322-260115/Lakas-Kampi-coalition-plans-decisive-Battle-of-the-Bulge

Like a stealthy army preparing to launch a major offensive, the ruling administration coalition Lakas-Kampi-CMD is moving heaven and earth at the grassroots to save the lagging presidential candidacy of former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
The question that perplexes many party leaders is: Considering that Teodoro is running behind, why move only now?

The ruling coalition, which enjoys a headlock on 70 percent of local government positions, is pinning its hopes on superior resources and widespread party machinery to swing the tide of battle.

Banking on these advantages, it plans to assert its superiority with carefully synchronized offensives timed at the start of the campaign for local positions on March 26.

The opening salvo of this make-or-break offensive will be new TV commercials targeting the youth on Monday.

Teodoro’s spokesperson, former Press Secretary Mike Toledo, said the commercials would be aired with frequencies rivaling those of the front-runners, Senators Benigno S. Aquino III of the Liberal Party and Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party. Between them, they have spent close to P2 billion, dominating the airwaves, according to the media firm AGB Nielsen.

Teodoro’s ads will zero in on the target segment that the coalition hopes will swing the tide of battle to his side, the youth ranging in age from 18 to 39, who constitute 52 percent of the 50 million voters registered, according to Toledo.

Jeep ni Erap back on the road, eyes 15M votes

By Norman Bordadora (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100320-259775/Jeep-ni-Erap-back-on-the-road-eyes-15M-votes
MANILA, Philippines—With former president Joseph Estrada still lagging behind two presidential candidates, the group that helped him win in 1998 has vowed to give Estrada an extra push that will translate to a bigger winning margin in his comeback bid. 

Members of the Jeep ni Erap, the group that the Estrada camp credits as “greatly responsible for the 1998 victory,” held a kickoff rally Friday at the Club Filipino in Estrada’s home city of San Juan.

“President Estrada’s survey ratings are at 18 percent now but we will make sure that this is at least 30 percent by end of April,” Jeep chair Horacio “Boy” Morales said. 

“If he won by 11 million votes in 1998, this time we will deliver at least 15 million votes,” he added.

Morales is a longtime leader of the Estrada’s Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and was the former President’s secretary of agrarian reform during his short-lived administration.

Estrada described Jeep ni Erap as a nationwide group of small and middle-income businessmen that have volunteered to help deliver the votes in May.

Jeep, during the Estrada administration, stood for justice, economy, environment and peace, areas that the former actor pledged would be given top priority.

There are now two volunteer groups helping Estrada at the community-level campaign, both named after public utility vehicles used by poor folk. They are Traysikel ni Erap and the re-launched Jeep ni Erap.

In an earlier interview, PMP vice president Cagayan De Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the Jeep Ni Erap and Traysikel Ni Erap campaigns would involve a network of volunteers that could grow to around seven million supporters.

Palace mocks LP’s ‘vision’

Noynoy an island unto himself, says spokesman

by ANGELO S. SAMONTE Reporter (The Manila Times)

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/13653-palace-mocks-lps-vision

Voters should guard against the supposed vision of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd when they choose the country’s next president in the May 10 elections, Malacañang said on Thursday.

“Even Sen. Aquino has stooped to claiming that the Arroyo government is worse than [that of] Marcos, whom he claims at least did not try to hide behind legalities. The senator’s anger at legalities and technicalities that get in the way of what seems to be the only brand of acceptable justice to him—his own—is a quality of his that our voters should ponder,” deputy spokesman Gary Olivar said.

President Gloria Arroyo “[did] not win all her battles in the past, but she has never gainsaid due process or legitimate authority when properly applied by other government entities even at her expense,” he added.

At the same time, Olivar said that it should be an eye-opener for the people the denunciation by the opposition and the Makati Business Club of a recent Supreme Court ruling saying that President Arroyo can appoint the next chief justice.

These critics, among them former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, the Malacañang spokesman added, think of themselves as better judge of the issue, which Olivar said was a thought most unfortunate.

On Wednesday, Aquino, the Liberal Party standard-bearer, took another swipe at the President, accusing her of using the governance style of late former President Ferdinand Marcos as her “template.”

Unlike the Arroyo administration, he said, Marcos had at least legal cover for his actions.

Aquino noted that under the watch of Mrs. Arroyo, several controversies, including the “Hello, Garci” scandal, the P728-million fertilizer fund scam and the botched $330-million national broadband network deal, remain unresolved. The “Hello, Garci” scandal linked the President to alleged poll cheating in the 2004 elections, which she eventually won over opposition standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.

Ilocano welcome awes Aquinos

by Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. (Cebu Daily News)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100319-259576/Ilocano-welcome-awes-Aquinos

LAOAG CITY—It was the first time Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III set foot in the province of his parents’ arch-nemesis, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and the welcome overwhelmed him.

It helped that Aquino had come with his younger celebrity sister Kris and her husband, basketball star James Yap.

But the welcoming mob at the Laoag City International Airport was totally unexpected with the locals jostling for pictures, autographs or just a glance at the famous siblings.

It also helped that the welcome was led by Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael Keon, a nephew of Marcos, who said that the much vaunted “Solid North” was now a thing of the past with the province’s 350,000 voters expected to go for four presidential candidates—Manny Villar, Gilbert Teodoro, Joseph Estrada and Aquino.

Cousin vs cousin

“With a much younger voting population, the voters are more discerning and discriminating,” said Keon who is running for reelection under the Liberal Party, Nacionalista Party and Lakas-Kampi-CMD against his cousin, Imee Marcos, daughter of the late dictator.

Kris said she was so nervous about the welcome they might get from the people in Marcos country that she prayed the rosary twice to seek “divine intervention” before deciding to join her brother’s sortie.

“I prayed to my mom that I won’t say any word that would court the Ilocanos’ ire,” she said.