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.

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.

Noynoy gets support of private school educators

from The Philippine Star

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=548935&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III won the admiration and support of private school educators yesterday when he presented a practical and doable course of action to address the education sector’s problems if he wins the May 2010 polls.

While his proposal to add another year in high school could generate controversy as well the ire of students and parents, it earned him a lot of support from private school owners and administrators.

But officials and members of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) also gave high marks to the other presidential candidates, namely Bro. Eddie Villanueva, Nicanor Perlas and John Carlos de los Reyes, for stepping forward and presenting their educational platforms.

Liberal Party slams ruling vs allies

by Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=548927&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The Liberal Party (LP) assailed yesterday the Commission on Elections (Comelec)’s rulings against its candidates.

PiNoy Lawyers, a group of volunteer lawyers tasked with protecting the votes of LP presidential bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, said the latest decisions of the Comelec involving local leaders of the LP were disturbing, to say the least, because it would set back their campaign in key areas.

Those affected by Comelec decisions were Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, Bulacan Gov. Jonjon Mendoza, Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo and Palawan LP congressional bet Abraham Mitra.

The Second Division of the Comelec ordered yesterday Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, one of the governors critical of the Arroyo administration, to step down after a recount allegedly showed that his rival beat him in the 2007 midterm elections.

SC upholds poll automation deal

by Benjamin B. Pulta (The Daily Tribune)
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20100212hed3.html

The Supreme Court (SC) has turned down the suit challenging the holding of next May’s automated national and local elections this May and upheld its earlier ruling on the validity of the P7.2-billion poll automation deal between the Commission on Elections and Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. (TIM)

In a 15-page resolution by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., the tribunal said there was no irregularity and grave abuse of discretion committed by the Comelec in awarding the contract to Smartmatic-TIM consortium as it said arguments raised by the petitioners — Harry Roque Jr. et al., the Philippine Senate and the late Pete Quadra — dwelt on possibilities or matters that may or may not occur.

“Speculations and conjectures are not equivalent to proof; they have little, if any probative value and, surely, cannot be the basis of a sound judgment,” the Court said.

COMELEC STRIKES AGAIN

Arroyo ally in; Panlilio out  
Pineda declared winner in recount

by Kristine L. Alave (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100212-252702/Arroyo-ally-in-Panlilio-out

MANILA, Philippines - What's in a name?

For Lilia Pineda, a close ally of President Macapagal-Arroyo popularly known as “Nanay Baby,” it meant finally getting the gubernatorial seat of Pampanga.

On Thursday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) unseated Pampanga Gov. Eddie “Among Ed” Panlilio, a Catholic priest-turned-politician, and declared Pineda, whose husband is widely known as a “jueteng,” or illegal numbers, kingpin, the winner of the 2007 elections.

The Comelec Second Division said Pineda, a former provincial board member, was the “duly elected governor” of Pampanga after an appreciation of the votes from 21 towns and cities in the province showed that she had an edge of 2,011 votes over Panlilio.

“I don’t know if I’ll be happy or sad,” Pineda said. With an expected appeal, she said the case was far from resolved.

“I’m not even giving it attention,” she added.

Comelec threat to ban: Oprah, Ellen did it

By Bayani San Diego Jr., Marinel Cruz, Philip Tubeza, Michael Lim Ubac (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100212-252706/Comelec-threat-to-ban-Oprah-Ellen-did-it

THE TOP TWO PRESIDENTIAL rivals for the May 10 poll agree on one thing.

One presidential candidate vowed to challenge it before the Supreme Court. Another slammed it as a violation of the freedom of expression. One celebrity said he was saddened by it, while others cried it was unfair.

This was the storm stirred up Thursday by a Commission on Elections (Comelec) threat to throw the book at celebrities and mass media personalities who would endorse any candidate during the current election campaign, unless they resign or go on leave from their radio or television shows or media outfits.

“Did (American TV show hosts) Oprah (Winfrey) and Ellen DeGeneres lose their shows on account of their presidential candidates? This is a democratic country and celebrities have the right to choose their candidates,” Angeli Valenciano, wife of singer Gary Valenciano, said.

Misuari backs Villanueva’s presidential bid

By Cynthia Balana (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100211-252626/Misuari-backs-Villanuevas-presidential-bid

MANILA, Philippines—Former Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari is endorsing the candidacy of Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas for president in the coming elections.

"He is the only non-controversial politician. Hindi kasama sa katiwalian di ba (He is not involved in anomalies),” said Misuari, a former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, in an interview with reporters during the celebration of Iran's 31st National Day on Wednesday night.

Misuari said that Villanueva's platform to achieve lasting peace for Mindanao, if elected, was the most comprehensive compared to the proposals of other candidates.

Poverty blues

from EDITORIAL (The Daily Tribune)http://www.tribune.net.ph/commentary/20100211com1.html

For Liberal Party bet, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, the way to solve the poverty problem in the country is to eliminate corruption.

For Nacionalista Party standard bearer, Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar, the way to eliminate poverty is to have a pro-poor economic program.

For the Pwersa ng Masa presidential bet, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, to solve the poverty issue is to restore peace and order in this country, for the investment climate to grow, and for the country to be able to move forward.

Taking it one by one, Aquino’s solution is really no solution at all. 

Corruption in government can hardly be eliminated and worse, can hardly be the solution to poverty, mainly because even minimizing corruption in government levels, will hardly translate to alleviating the living conditions for the poor. Aquino must also know that even during his late mother’s time in Malacañang, and even with that “wave of change” that the nation believed would come about but never did, there was graft and corruption, where especially the Aquino-Cojuangco relatives, known as then as the infamous “Kamag-Anak Inc.” were reported to have been engaged in corrupt practices, and where family members certainly took advantage of the Aquino presidency, with them buying up sequestered assets for song, not to mention Cory Aquino, using her power and position, exempting her Hacienda Luisita from the Agrarian Reform Law, and even using her presidency to ensure that the court’s decision to parcel the hacienda to the workers was thwarted. And just who was the “Jueteng King” during his late mother’s time?

Bongbong keynotes student confab in CDO

http://bongbongm.com/?p=870

Ilocos Norte Representative and senatorial candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was the keynote speaker in the recently concluded 6th Mindanao Business and Management Youth Congress held in Cagayan De Oro City.

In his keynote address, the young solon said that youth entrepreneurship should be encouraged by the government not only to provide jobs but more importantly to revive the local economy. He also highlighted the importance of promoting a culture of entrepreneurship that will serve as platform for young business minded individuals.

“We need to establish a culture of entrepreneurship to achieve our place in the modern world and the family of nations. And I submit that this culture will feature young people like you in a big way,” he said.

“What is promising about our country today is that government is no longer centralized in Manila. Local governments have a lot of clout in determining their own future. And as such they can also do their thing in encouraging and supporting private enterprise within their communities,” Bongbong added.

Bongbong also shared his experience in promoting the entrepreneurship during his terms as governor of Ilocos Norte when he said, “In Ilocos Norte, we made good a start in fostering economic expansion by helping local people engage in agriculture, tourism, food processing and other livelihoods. As we opened our province to tourism, we were able to encourage enterprise that catered to their needs. As we strengthened agriculture, and especially food crops, we were able to build up our food processing industry.”

Bongbong also recognized the vital role of Mindanao as a major player in the promotion of entrepreneurship in the country when he said, “In this great drama of development, Mindanao has a major role to play by reason of its tremendous resources, its people and its other blessings. And you the young entrepreneurs of Mindanao, will be at the forefront of this transformation.”

“In a period of crisis and uncertainty such as we are experiencing today, government leaders and entrepreneurs must be imaginative and opportunistic,” Bongbong added.

More than 500 students from various colleges and universities in Mindanao attended the event to discuss issues and ideas to encourage the youth to be more proactive on current and social economic issues.

Tito Sotto: I have done something for Cebu

from the FREEMAN

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=548338&publicationSubCategoryId=107

CEBU, Philippines - Former Dangerous Drugs Board chairman and senatorial bet Vicente “Tito” Sotto III yesterday refuted reports that while he claims he is a Cebuano, he has done nothing for Cebu.

“In my projects, we spent a total of about P23 million in Cebu. In other projects naman, I built the only women and children crisis center in the Philippines here in Cebu. I doubt if there is any senator who has that anywhere in the Philippines,” Sotto said.

Sotto launched yesterday his campaign in Cebu tracing roots here and reminding the Cebuanos that much work has yet to be done to solve the problem of prohibited drugs especially as Cebu, according to statistics, is the most problematic next to National Capital Region in terms of drug dependency.

Sotto kicked off his campaign with a Mass at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral at 10 a.m.

“The best thing to do in any undertaking is to ask for God’s blessing and start on the right foot. My roots are here because my great grand father is always a Cebuano. He has helped built Cebu along with the Osmeñas,” he said.

Arroyo no-show at Teodoro’s proclamation rally

by Fe Zamora (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100210-252316/Arroyo-no-show-at-Teodoros-proclamation-rally

ANTIPOLO CITY—Even the mention of the name of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo seemed taboo at the proclamation rally in Antipolo City of the administration’s standard-bearer, former Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr.

The presidential candidate of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition spoke for about 45 minutes at the rally officially kicking off the election campaign season, but he mentioned Ms Arroyo’s name only once.

An attempt by party mate and senatorial candidate Silvestre Bello to elicit cheers for the President by shouting “Mabuhay si Presidente Arroyo” failed dismally to rouse the crowd of Teodoro supporters.

Ms Arroyo did not attend the rally.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita was the highest ranking Malacañang official who showed up to support Teodoro and his vice presidential candidate, Edu Manzano.

Other Lakas-Kampi-CMD stalwarts, including Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez, were also around to try and bolster Teodoro’s campaign.

Villar starts ‘90-day journey to a better RP’ in Laguna

by Nikko Dizon, Michael Lim Ubac (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100210-252311/Villar-starts-90-day-journey-to-a-better-RP-in-Laguna

CALAMBA, LAGUNA—No, Sen. Manuel Villar did not swim in a sea of garbage, as his popular campaign jingle goes, to kick off what he and his running mate Sen. Loren Legarda called “the 90-day journey to a better Philippines.”

Calling themselves a “united front versus poverty,” Villar, Legarda and senatorial candidates of the Nacionalista Party (NP) kicked off the formal election campaign with a proclamation rally in Calamba, where national hero Jose Rizal was born.

The rally at the Banga plaza was to have started at 3:30 p.m. It began at 6 p.m., with GMA 7’s Raymond Gutierrez and Valerie Concepcion as program emcees, but the plaza as well as the narrow streets were filled with orange-clad NP supporters and bystanders hours earlier.

An estimated 3,000 supporters, with some coming all the way from Las Piñas City, Villar’s hometown, were present.

At press time, the NP senatorial candidates were delivering individual speeches to a crowd of thousands.

Onstage, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was seated apart from Representatives Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza of the militant party-list groups Bayan Muna and Gabriela, respectively.

Madrigal goes to market to check on ‘GG’ prices

by Jerry E. Esplanada (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100210-252315/Madrigal-goes-to-market-to-check-on-GG-prices

MANILA, Philippines—A day after she admitted that she didn’t know the price of “galunggong,” the proverbial poor man’s fish, Sen. Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, a presidential candidate, said that she would include some wet markets nationwide in her campaign sorties.

“I love wet markets because of the vegetables they sell,” Madrigal said Tuesday on the first day of the presidential campaign. “I go to a lot of markets selling organic products, like the one on Katipunan (Quezon City). In our small farm in Tagaytay, we grow vegetables.”

She said, “I may be a vegetarian but I have no prejudice against meat-eaters.”

Madrigal drew snickers at the Inquirer-sponsored presidential debate at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, on Monday when she said a kilo of galunggong (round scad) cost only P60. A kilo of galunggong in Metro Manila costs about P120.

Perlas goes back to Ateneo on Day 1 of campaign

by DJ Yap (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100210-252319/Perlas-goes-back-to-Ateneo-on-Day-1-of-campaign

MANILA, Philippines—Low-key.

This was how independent presidential candidate Nicanor Perlas started his campaign yesterday with a visit to the Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City.

Perlas talked to students at the Ateneo Political Fair, a three-day event sponsored by the Ateneo Student Council, and answered questions on how to balance conflicts of interest in government as well as whom he would vote for if he were not running for president. He said he would choose from the other independents.

“This is a soft launch of my campaign,” said Perlas, who is running on an environmentalist and reformist platform. The actual campaign kickoff will be on Feb. 13 in Cebu City.

Transformer team kicks off in Cavite

by Cathy C. Yamsuan, Edson C. Tandoc Jr. (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100210-252314/Transformer-team-kicks-off-in-Cavite

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Richard Gordon Tuesday retraced the steps of his great-grandfather at the start of his campaign for president in the May 10 election, hoping to replicate his ancestor’s heroism in the war against Spain in 1896.

Gordon and his running mate Bayani Fernando took a three-hour trip around Cavite province in a 10-wheel truck designed to look like “Optimus Prime” of movies where the vehicle is turned into a robot that becomes a “Transformer,” the term used to describe the candidates.

The 100-vehicle convoy of the Bagumbayan party included a cement mixer and ambulances of the Philippine National Red Cross to show the incarnations of Gordon as Olongapo City mayor, administrator of Subic Bay Freeport and Red Cross chief, and Fernando as Marikina City mayor and chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

It set off from a gasoline station along the Southern Luzon Expressway where Gordon, who was delayed for one hour, unsheathed a replica of the sword that he said his great-grandfather Jose Tagle seized from the Spaniards.

“If we are united, we can overcome all our enemies. Today we begin the first victory of the country,” he exclaimed.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva opens quest at Luneta

by Dona Pazzibugan (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100210-252317/Bro-Eddie-Villanueva-opens-quest-at-Luneta

MANILA, Philippines—Christian evangelist Eduardo “Brother Eddie” Villanueva kicked off his second quest for the presidency at Luneta Park in Manila with an unfurling of one of the biggest Philippine flags ever made.

Villanueva, head of the Jesus is Lord Church, led other Bangon Pilipinas party candidates and about 5,000 supporters in unfurling the 180 x 92-meter flag.

First displayed in 2006, the 3.8-ton flag was created by businesswoman Grace Gupana, a supporter of Bangon Pilipinas.

Gupana’s group, PG Tower Ministries International, attempted on Sept. 16, 2006, to clinch the record for the world’s biggest flag. The group failed because strong winds tore apart the giant Philippine flag as it was being unfurled in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.

Washing of feet

“We want to revive genuine patriotism and nationalism. We need new politics with moral leadership for a new, better Philippines,” Villanueva later told reporters.

They're off and running

by Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=548001&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - The race is on for presidential candidates beginning today, after months of unofficial free-for-all.

The frontrunner, Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, kicks off his campaign in his home province of Tarlac, at his family’s old house in Concepcion.

He and his running mate Sen. Manuel Roxas II, as well as LP senatorial candidates, will hold a motorcade to the Aquino Museum and then to the municipalities of Bamban, Capas and Tarlac City.

The Nacionalista Party led by its standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. kicks off its “90-day journey to a better Philippines” in Calamba, Laguna, the birthplace of national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, with visits to public markets.

“We chose to launch our good fight in Rizal’s birthplace, Laguna, because the cradle of heroes is always the best springboard of change,” the NP said in a statement.

The NP expects to mobilize a mammoth rally today in Calamba.

“We would like to unveil our vision for the nation in the birthplace of the man who told us and showed us how to love it,” the NP said.

The NP said it chose Laguna “not because it is our bailiwick but because we believe that our vow to serve the people will assume a sacred dimension if made in the place symbolized by our national hero.”

No-holds-barred forum

by Juliet Labog-Javellana (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100209-252093/No-holds-barred-forum

Madrigal steals show at PDI debate

MANILA, Philippines—Like the Filipino delicacy balut, the first Philippine Daily Inquirer presidential debate was not for the faint-hearted.

Pointed and witty queries ranging from the price of “galunggong” and salted eggs to Charter change and the budget deficit, sharp brickbats and a lively audience marked the event at the jampacked University of the Philippines Theater in Diliman, Quezon City Monday.

Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Richard “Dick” Gordon, Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and Manny Villar, Councilor JC de los Reyes, environmentalist Nicanor “Nicky” Perlas, ex-Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva faced a tough grilling by nine panelists, who also read questions from Inquirer readers, and several members of the audience.

The forum lasted more than two hours and was aired live by dzBB, the AM radio station of GMA 7, which is the Inquirer’s election coverage partner.

Madrigal stole the show by sniping at Villar at every opportunity, blasting him for his extensive advertisements to his group’s boycott of the Senate’s last session day when senators were supposed to vote on the recommendation to censure him for the C-5 controversy.

Get ready for the May 10 polls

from Philippine Daily Inquirer

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/talkofthetown/view/20100206-251652/Get-ready-for-the-May-10-polls

MANILA, Philippines—The country will hold its first automated general elections on May 10, a political exercise that is causing anxiety among voters and civil society. The anxiety is understandable. Like in many things that people do for the first time, they have lots of questions about poll automation.

Can the Commission on Elections (Comelec) deliver the correct ballots to each of the 75,471 clustered precincts? The poll body is printing 1,631 sets of unique ballots.

Can voters use the voting machine in case of a power outage? Can a precinct get a backup machine should the machine assigned to it conk out?

Can the counting machine transmit data despite a weak cell-phone signal or absence of signal in the area? Can signal jammers stop or delay the transmission of results?

Will technical support teams be available in the polling areas to address problems that may be encountered with the counting machines?

If the Comelec pulls it off, results are expected within two hours at the local level and 36 hours at the national level. The transmission, consolidation of results and proclamation of winning candidates will be completed in just six days, according to the poll body.