Sotto to amend law on mediamen if elected

by Michael Punongbayan (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=556759&publicationSubCategoryId=65

MANILA, Philippines - Because the old one only covers print media practitioners, Nationalist People’s Coalition senatorial candidate Vicente Sotto III is planning to amend the law which protects newsmen from revealing their sources.

He said RA 53 which was authored in 1946 by his grandfather, then senator Vicente Yap Sotto, only protects mediamen from newspapers and magazines. “My grandfather authored the law to protect the print media. After more than five decades it needs to be amended to include all other forms of media used in the present time,” Sotto III said yesterday.

“The amendment should also cover and protect all local publications and networks (print, broadcast and online) not necessarily by of nationwide circulation or reach,” he said.

RA 53, otherwise known as the “Sotto Law” is an act to exempt the publisher, editor or reporter of any publication from revealing the source of published news or information obtained in confidence.

“The publisher, editor or duly accredited reporter of any newspaper, magazine or periodical of general circulation cannot be compelled to reveal the source of any news report or information appearing in said publication which is related in confidence to such publisher, editor or reporter, unless the court or a House or Committee of Congress finds that such revelation is demanded in the interest of the State,” Section 1 of the law declares.

Sotto III, who is doing well in the surveys among senatorial candidates of the May 2010 national polls, said it would be an honor that he can amend the law authored by his own grandfather.

“This is history in the making in the entire legislative records in the Philippines,” he noted, adding that RA 53 was the first law authored by his grandfather who was a former journalist in Cebu. Sotto founded the newspaper dubbed “Ang Suga,” the first newspaper in the Cebuano vernacular with the first issue printed on June 16, 1901.

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.

Business jittery that failure of election real risk

by Doris Dumlao (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100311-257936/Business-jittery-that-failure-of-election-real-risk

MANILA, Philippines—The possibility amid recent power outages of the first national computerized elections failing to produce a president, whether real or imagined, is sending chills to the financial community.

In an economic briefing Wednesday, Roland Avante, Sterling Bank Asia treasurer, said that foreign analysts were apprehensive that if the results of the May 10 balloting were “tainted, it can create political instability.”

The treasury veteran and former president of the Money Market Association of the Philippines warned that this could affect the performance of the economy and potentially push away investors, many of whom had stayed away for years.

Avante said jitters were rising that a failure of elections was a real risk.

“To a lot of Filipinos, maybe 80 percent haven’t thought there will be failure of elections and that goes back even to the discussion of why the appointment of a new Justice Secretary is important and why it is important at this particular point in time,” he said.

If the elections would be sabotaged, Avante said “all the gains that the country has made in the last few years can all go to waste.”

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.

Slow printing of 50M ballots triggers alarm

by Kristine L. Alave (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100310-257935/Slow-printing-of-50M-ballots-triggers-alarm

MANILA, Philippines—Yet another glitch in the May 10 automated elections looms.

The National Printing Office (NPO) is unlikely to produce the required 50 million ballots for the elections and may have to acquire more machines to do the job, or print 15 million ballots for manual polling for the shortfall, officials said Wednesday.

In an urgent memorandum dated March 1 to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) project management office, Esmeralda Amora-Ladra, head of the poll body’s printing committee, said that the four NPO machines were not operating at maximum capacity.

The daily output is disappointing, leading her to suggest that the Comelec should prepare contingency measures, including the printing of ballots for manual elections.

The memorandum, made available to the Inquirer, noted that as of March 1, some 7.9 million ballots for the electronic balloting had been printed. Of the number, 5.3 million were accepted as “good ballots,” while the rest have yet to be checked.

“Granting that 7,878,480 (printed minus quarantined ballots) are all good ballots, we still have to print a total of 42,845,254 for a period of 54 days. This means, we should be able to have a daily production of 793,430,629, more or less, per day from four printers, which is impossible!” the memorandum read.

Election 2010 News - March 10, 2010

• WHAT EXPERTS SAY; When a tie is not really a tie  (Philippine Daily Inquirer) 
• Noynoy, Villar statistically tied in SWS poll  (The Philippine Star)
• Gibo still confident he'll make it in May polls  (Sun Star Davao)
• Bong, Jinggoy, Miriam still up  (The Philippine Star)
• Villar: Why pay when they're running with me?  (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Estrada eyes steady hike in survey ratings for May win  (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Noynoy, Manny are no-shows; pastor fumes  (Malaya)
• Bangit: 'Trust me, I'll keep AFP politics-free'  (Malaya)

WHAT EXPERTS SAY When a tie is not really a tie

from Philippine Daily Inquirer

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100310-257739/When-a-tie-is-not-really-a-tie

MANILA, Philippines—“When our report comes out, you will see that we just say it’s a 2-point lead and we’re not calling it a tie. Now the reason I say that is because if it could be a zero lead, it could also be a 4-point lead. It could really range to as high as four. But we’re not saying that. It seems to me that the neutral thing to do is to call it as two, because that’s where it is centered. And if you go to emphasize the tie, you’re really leaning on one side,” Mahar Mangahas, president of Social Weather Stations, says in an interview on ANC.

“I’m saying it’s a statistical tie, but it’s also a statistical 4-point lead. You’re biased if you only go to the low side, not also to the high side. You have to look at everything. Let’s not insist on saying that it’s zero, because it can also be four. To me, that’s the error. Analysts are rushing to say that finally, it’s a tie. It’s not yet a tie.”

Margin of error

“This is not the first time that Noynoy Aquino and Manny Villar have come to a “statistical tie.” In the Jan. 22-26 Pulse Asia survey, both were “tied” if the margin of error was factored in,” says Ana Maria Tabunda, Pulse Asia chief research fellow.

Noynoy, Villar statistically tied in SWS poll

by Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=556549&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - If the elections were held last month, either Liberal Party’s (LP) Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III or his closest rival Nacionalista Party’s (NP) Sen. Manuel Villar would win the presidency, a latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed yesterday.

Aquino and Villar were “statistically tied” at first place in the SWS presidential survey conducted from Feb. 24 to 28.

The survey, commissioned by BusinessWorld, showed that Aquino continued to set the pace with 36 percent, closely followed by Villar with 34 percent.

Applying the margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, Aquino’s rating may be the same as Villar’s, the SWS said.

The survey used face-to-face interviews of 2,100 registered voters nationwide.

Aquino’s rating dropped in four geographical areas: seven points in the balance of Luzon, six in Mindanao, five in the Visayas, and three in Metro Manila.

Villar, meanwhile, lost six percentage points in Metro Manila, two in balance Luzon, and one in Mindanao, but rose by five points in the Visayas.

By area, the SWS said Aquino remained ahead in Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao, while Villar was leading in balance Luzon.

SWS said their lost votes appear to have gone to the third- and fourth-ranked candidates: former President Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), whose score improved by two points to 15 percent, and administration bet Gilbert Teodoro of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, who also gained two points to six percent.

Gibo still confident he'll make it in May polls

by Jade C. Zaldivar (Sun Star Davao)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/gibo-still-confident-hell-make-it-may-polls

DESPITE coming in third on recent national surveys, former defense secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro Jr., presidential bet of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, said "anything can happen in 60 days" before the elections.

Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) with the marketing research firm Campaigns and Image, recently released their survey results which has broken the pattern of previous surveys.

The survey said, Senator Manuel “Manny” Villar of the Nacionalista Party (NP) is ahead of Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III of the Liberal Party (LP), but Teodoro has overtaken former President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) to come in 3rd place.

Teodoro in an interview Tuesday said he does not rely on surveys and expects more change in the remaining days before the polls.

Bong, Jinggoy, Miriam still up

by Helen Flores (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=556547&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Re-electionist senators Bong Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada and Miriam Defensor-Santiago were statistically tied at first place in the latest senatorial survey by Pulse Asia.

Pulse Asia said 14 candidates have a statistical chance of winning Senate seats if the elections were held during the Feb. 21 to 25 survey period.

The non-commissioned survey showed Revilla getting 53.6 percent of votes, which translates to a statistical ranking of 1st to 3rd place. He is in a statistical tie with Estrada, who got 52.6 percent of the votes.

Santiago received 49.4 percent of votes, which places her anywhere from 1st to 5th.

Another re-electionist, Sen. Pia Cayetano, who received 45.4 percent, ranks 3rd to 6th.

Cayetano shared the same statistical ranking as former Senate president Franklin Drilon with 45 percent.

In sixth place is Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (43.8 percent) with a statistical ranking of 4th to 6th.

Other senatorial candidates who have a statistical chance of winning were former senator Tito Sotto with 33.2 percent, former senator and former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) director general Ralph Recto (33.1 percent), former senator Serge Osmeña (29.1 percent), Ilocos Norte Rep. Bongbong Marcos (28.2 percent).

Villar: Why pay when they’re running with me?

by Michael Lim Ubac (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100310-257745/Villar-Why-pay-when-theyre-running-with-me

DAVAO CITY—Why pay them when their friends are with us?

That, in effect, was what the Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer, Sen. Manny Villar, said Tuesday as he denied television reports quoting the military as claiming he was among the politicians who had paid campaign fees to the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

“I haven’t paid any (rebel group),” Villar said at a press conference here. “Why should I still pay when they are already with us—they are our friends.”

Lest he be misconstrued, Villar explained he was referring to his alliance with Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza. Both militant party-list lawmakers are running for the Senate as NP guest candidates.

P5-B campaign fees

“Let’s clarify that we are with Bayan Muna or Makabayan (coalition). We are not (allied) with whoever is violating the law—they are not with us,” he said, referring to the NPA rebels.

“Those who are with us belong to the group within the system of government that also fights for human rights and the welfare of the poor,” Villar added.

Estrada eyes steady hike in survey ratings for May win

by Norman Bordadora (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100309-257635/Estrada-eyes-steady-hike-in-survey-ratings-for-May-win

MANILA, Philippines—Deposed president Joseph Estrada has expressed elation over his continued favorable showing in the nationwide election surveys of the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia.

A few days after Pulse Asia’s survey had Estrada gaining six percentage points in its late February survey, SWS reported in its Business World-commissioned survey that Estrada gained two percentage points from his previous rating in the same SWS survey.

Told that his performance in the SWS survey was not as good as his showing in Pulse Asia’s poll, Estrada said: “Whose numbers went down?”

Estrada was apparently referring to front-runners Senator Benigno Aquino III and Senator Manuel Villar, who both lost points while maintaining their first and second place positions in the SWS surveys.

The pollsters said Estrada and fourth place administration candidate Gilberto Teodoro gained from Aquino and Villar's loss.

The former Chief Executive, who’s running for another term in Malacañang after he was forced out of office in 2001, said that if his numbers would continue to go up, he could win come May.

“Tapos na sila (It’d be over for them),” Estrada said.

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.

Bangit: ‘Trust me, I’ll keep AFP politics-free’

by VICTOR REYES (Malaya)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/03102010/news6.html

INCOMING Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit vowed that he will not be a party to any cheating in the May national elections and the military establishment will remain insulated from any political activity during his term.

AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner quoted Bangit in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo yesterday as saying that he will not allow himself to be used by any interest groups in the polls.

Bangit is the 11th AFP chief to be appointed by President Arroyo since she assumed office in January 2001. He will take over the top AFP post today in rites to be presided by the President in Camp Aguinaldo.

His projected appointment was met with a lot of calls for the extension instead of retiring AFP chief Gen. Victor Ibrado, and his actual appointment with fears of poll cheating, failure of elections and military takeover.

President Arroyo announced Bangit’s appointment last Tuesday.

Bangit is a member of the Philippine Military Academy class 1978 that has adopted the President as an honorary member. He is described by many as "fiercely loyal" to the President.

Election 2010 News - March 9, 2010

• Peace talks with NPA, MILF should be constitutional'  (The Philippine Star) 
• Bongbong warns Comelec of CIA meddling in polls  (The Manila Times)
• LP cries foul over Annabelle's swipe  (Manila Bulletin)
• Santiago blames low ratings on married name  (INQUIRER.net)
• Aquino leads Villar by a hair  (Manila Standard Today)
• Legarda trails front-running Roxas by 9%  (Manila Standard Today)
• 'It's better late than never' - Binay  (The Daily Tribune)
• Fernando: No regrets dismantling illegal vendors' stall  (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• 'Energy crisis just artificial'  (The Philippine Star)
• Absentee voting registration extended  (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• NCRPO to Metro voters: Monitor bets with too many bodyguards  (The Philippine Star)
• ELEKSYON SASABIT KAY BANGIT?  (Abante)
• 24 election-related violent incidents reported since January - PNP  (INQUIRER.net)

'Peace talks with NPA, MILF should be constitutional'

by Jaime Laude (The Philippine Star)

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=556324&publicationSubCategoryId=63

MANILA, Philippines - Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. said yesterday that any government peace efforts with the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Moro Islamic Liberation (MILF) should be within the framework of the Constitution.

Teodoro, the defense chief prior to his candidacy, said peace talks with the rebel groups, especially the NPA, should not be done at the national level but should be left to local peace councils.

“In view of the localized leadership structures of the NPA insurgents, it would be best for the government to initiate separate peace negotiations with the respective leaders of rebel forces in the specific localities where they thrive,” the administration bet said in a radio interview yesterday.

While giving emphasis on the peace efforts, Teodoro said that there should be a sustainable campaign to put an end to both insurgencies, which includes beefing up the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Bongbong warns Comelec of CIA meddling in polls

by JOMAR CANLAS Reporter (The Manila Times)

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/12993-bongbong-warns-comelec-of-cia-meddling-in-polls

Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte on Monday warned the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against the possibility of agents of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) coming to the Philippines to monitor the May 10 elections disguised as legitimate foreign poll observers.

Bongbong, the only son late former strongman President Ferdinand Marcos, asked the Comelec to strengthen accreditation procedures for foreign observers, especially those arriving from the United States, as they may be CIA agents.

“The Comelec should thoroughly examine the credentials and backgrounds of all foreign observers, particularly the Americans, to ensure that they are not CIA operatives,” he said.

Bongbong, a senatorial candidate of the Nacionalista Party in the May balloting, also underscored the need for Comelec Chairman Jose Melo to come up with guidelines on foreign observers so that they may know their limitations and their duties in the elections less than three months away.

“Once we discover that there are foreign observers who are actually CIA members, we must immediately send them out of the country,” he said.

Marcos also warned that the policy of intervention by the United States is noticeable during presidential elections because the Americans want to make sure that their interests in the country are always protected.

“We should remain vigilant. We must not allow the US to intervene in our elections. Each of our votes is sacred. The real voice of the Filipino people must be heard during the elections,” he explained.

Bongbong argued that the CIA has a long history of spying in countries like the Philippines where the US wants to maintain its influence and protect its interests.

LP cries foul over Annabelle's swipe

by KRIS BAYOS (Manila Bulletin)

http://mb.com.ph/articles/246844/lp-cries-foul-over-annabelles-swipe-kri

The Liberal Party cried foul Monday after actress Annabelle Rama took a swipe at the presidential bid of Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III by alleging that Aquino’s sister, TV host Kris Aquino-Yap, harshly treated her daughter Ruffa Gutierrez during their Sunday talk show.

Liberal Party campaign manager and former education secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said it is unfair for Senator Aquino to be dragged into the controversies involving his youngest sister, especially when he is not involved in the show to begin with.

It was reported that Rama was behind her daughter’s walking out of Kris’ longtime show “The Buzz” last Sunday. Rama said she pulled Ruffa out of the show because of Kris’ alleged hostile treatment of her daughter.

Describing Kris as arrogant, Rama appealed to the public not to vote for the 50-year-old lawmaker from Tarlac, claiming that Kris can become more arrogant if her brother gets elected as president.

Santiago blames low ratings on married name

by Maila Ager (INQUIRER.net)

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100308-257426/Santiago-blames-low-ratings-on-married-name

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago is very much in the race this May election. But people might not find her in the list of senatorial candidates if they will look for “Santiago” come election day.

The re-electionist senator’s name is listed instead as Defensor-Santiago in the special paper ballot that the Commission on Election (Comelec) will use in the country’s first-ever full automated election.

Saying that other married female candidates might find themselves in the same predicament, Santiago urged the Comelec to educate voters on the use of maiden names of married candidates like her.

Santiago lamented that her lower ranking in the recent senatorial survey of Pulse Asia could be because people are looking for her surname, not her maiden name.