Business groups oppose election postponement

   

MANILA, Philippines — Business groups are staunchly opposing even the notion of postponing the national elections, saying any delay will just provide “new opportunities for mischief.’’

In a statement, the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, and Philippine Bar Association said there was no assurance that postponing the elections would correct whatever errors needed correcting at this point.

If anything, a delay would just create more uncertainty and possibly more chances to do some hocus pocus, the businessmen warned.

via INQUIRER.net.

ALSO READ: SC to tackle petitions to stop polls Friday

EARLIER:

Roxas bares pressure to postpone elections

Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II Wednesday said he had received reports that “high-ranking officials both from the (ruling) political (party) and the Executive” had called Comelec officials to pressure them to postpone Monday’s elections.

In a press conference, Roxas urged Comelec officials to keep a record of the alleged phone calls so that these Palace officials could be exposed.

“Information coming from our sources in the Comelec show that high-ranking officials from Malacañang are calling Comelec commissioners to influence their deliberations on whether the elections should be postponed,” he added.

Via Inquirer.net

Church group to have parallel tally of votes

   

MANILA, Philippines—The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the accredited citizen’s arm of the Commission on Elections, announced Tuesday that it will conduct its own parallel tally of votes on election day on May 10.

PPCRV’s Ana de Villa-Singson said PPCRV will get the fourth copy of the election returns to help them come up with an unofficial tally of votes a day after election day.

The tally will be apart from the results that will be obtained from the Commission on Elections from the PCOS (precinct count optical scan) machines.

via INQUIRER.net.

ALSO READ:

Villanueva urges vigilance against cheating

MANILA, Philippines—With just six days before the elections, evangelist turned presidential candidate Eduardo “Brother Eddie” Villanueva ordered his supporters to go on “red alert” and watch out for cheating and other signs of election manipulation.

Villanueva, who is making a second go for the presidency under the Bangon Pilipinas party, was alarmed by reports that the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines failed to correctly tally votes during mock elections to test the machines on Monday.

He said the Filipino electorate should not let President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo get away with manipulating the election results as she is widely suspected of having done during the 2004 elections.

via Inquirer.net

30 Noy-Mar volunteers guarding each PCOS machine for LP

MANILA, Philippines – The Liberal Party (LP) will deploy volunteers to guard and monitor the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.

LP vice-presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II said on Tuesday that at least 30 volunteers will be dedicated solely to monitor each voting-counting machine.

“From the time the PCOS is tested and sealed, you should closely guard it until May 10. The chip, the memory card is already inserted, you have to secure it,” Roxas told ANC’s Headstart in a one-on-one interview.

Via ABS-CBN News

AND: Filipinos believe foreign observers will aid clean polls, survey shows

Briefly…

   

‘Poll watchers getting advance pay in GMA district’

LUBAO, Pampanga , Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) re-electionist Gov. Eddie Panlilio urged yesterday the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate reports that his gubernatorial rival has been paying advance salaries ranging from P1,500 to P4,000 monthly to people who will act as poll watchers in the second district of Pampanga, where President Arroyo is the official congressional candidate of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

“I urge the Comelec in Pampanga and Central Luzon to check out reports that my fellow gubernatorial candidate, Mrs. Lilia Pineda, and her campaigners at the Lakas-Kampi-CMD are doing a massive recruitment of poll watchers beyond what is allowed by election laws,” the Pampanga governor said in a statement yesterday.

Panlilio said that a “first batch of poll watchers have been designated as barangay coordinators” and have been required by the Pineda camp to recruit 10 poll watchers each.

via Phil. Star

Rival seeks Ate Vi’s disqualification over oversized posters

The political rival of reelectionist Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto on Monday sought her disqualification over her supposedly oversized public service announcements placed all over the province.

In a five-page petition, former governor Armando Sanchez’s lawyer Ferdinand Topacio asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify Santos-Recto because her oversized posters clearly promote her candidacy.

“Ito po ay higanteng billboard na kasing lalaki po ng mga bahay, kasing lalaki ng mga gusali at pinapalusot po nila na public service ngunit obvious na obvious po na ito ay para sa kandidatura ni Gov. Santos-Recto (These are gigantic billboards the size of houses, the size of buildings, and they say that it is for public service when it’s so obvious that it is for the candidacy of Gov. Santos-Recto),” Topacio told reporters after filing the petition.

via GMANews.TV.

16-M votes from Bangon Pilipinas supporters—Yasay

MANILA, Philippines – “We will win,” Yasay confidently told ANC’s Headstart on Monday.

Yasay is the runningmate of Bro. Eduardo “Eddie” Villanueva who founded the religious group Jesus Is Lord Movement.

Yasay said somebody who wants change must win this election. “Change must happen, and it will only happen if you love God.”

via ABS-CBN news

Suspected NPAs harass LP bets in Capiz over unpaid campaign permits

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Fifteen armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) disrupted a political caucus of the Liberal Party (LP) in Mambusao, Capiz, last Thursday, belated reports reaching the Capiz Police Provincial Office showed.

The reports disclosed that an armed man went up the stage in the hall of Barangay (village) Cala-agus, and grabbed the microphone from the master of ceremony.

The unidentified man announced that they were not allowing the holding of a caucus in the village due to the LP’s lack of permit to campaign (PTC), a safe conduct pass for a candidate to campaign in rebel-infested areas.

via Inquirer.net

Kontra Daya accuses Palparan of threatening leftist bets in Makati

The Kontra Daya Movement on Monday accused senatorial candidate and retired Major General Jovito Palparan of having a hand in the death threats mailed to some militant candidates in Makati city.

Kontra Daya convenor Mike Lopez Sr. told GMANews.TV that based on Palparan’s track record, the retired colonel is “capable” of “intimidating” leftist candidates to discourage them from running, and supporting senatorial candidates Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo — party-list representatives who are linked to the New People’s Army.

“[Palparan is] the only one who has the motives,” Lopez said, adding that Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales could have possibly given the Palparan the blessing to execute such actions.

Via GMA News.TV

Noynoy, Mar keep survey lead

   

MANILA, Philippines – Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and his running mate Sen. Manuel Roxas II have maintained their leads in various surveys three weeks before the elections.

The Manila Broadcasting Co.-dzRH survey on April 16 with 6,900 respondents showed Aquino leading the race with 38.6 percent, followed by Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. with 22.8 percent. Former President Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino got 21.2 percent; former Defense secretary Gilberto Teodoro of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD, 11.3 percent; Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas, 2.7 percent; Sen. Richard Gordon of Bagumbayan, 1.6 percent.

Vetellano Acosta, who had been disqualified, got 0.3 percent, while environmentalist Nicanor Perlas and Sen. Jamby Madrigal each got 0.2 percent. Olongapo City Councilor JC de los Reyes scored 0.1 percent.

via Phil. Star

ALSO READ:

Man who took a bullet for Noynoy in 1987 feels “spooked’ by him

THE man who took a bullet for Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Aquino III at the height of the 1987 failed coup attempt is reportedly in hiding amid fears that his former boss is hunting him down, supposedly in an apparent attempt to “silence” him.

Joseph Galleta, a member of the so-called “Yellow Army,” has secured himself and his family after he was informed that Aquino is looking for him to prevent him from revealing that after saving the LP bet’s life in August 28, 1987, he was neglected and was dropped like a hot potato.

Members of the Yellow Army were former security men of Hacienda Luisita that were brought to Malacañang and operated under the command of the Presidential Escort Unit.

via BusinessMirror.

ALSO READ:

AFP intel official confirms Noynoy meeting with general

A military intelligence official has confirmed the reported meeting between Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer and presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

“It’s confirmed that they [Aquino and Ferrer] met. The meeting occurred about four days ago,” said the security official who requested anonymity. He said the meeting, which was also attended by several officers, took place in Davao four days ago.

The officers were allegedly disgruntled over their recent assignments within the military organization, the official said.

via GMANews.TV

Presidential race still fluid, analyst says

   

End-game strategies seen to affect outcome

MANILA, Philippines – With just less than a month left before the May 10 elections, the outcome of the presidential campaign can still be anyone's ballgame.

Speaking on ANC's “The Rundown” on Tuesday night, political analysts weighed-in on what will be a deal-breaker for candidates in the last three weeks before the polls.

While surveys tout the presidential campaign to be a 3-way race among Liberal Party standard-bearer Noynoy Aquino, Nacionalista Party’s Manny Villar and Pwersa ng Masa’s Joseph Estrada (Aquino’s figures are consistent at 37%, owing partly to the dip in Villar’s ratings, what has further strengthened Estrada’s loyal support base), political strategist and management expert Malou Tiquia believes the race is more dynamic. 

Lakas-Kampi-CMD’s Gilberto Teodoro, Bagumbayan’s Richard Gordon, and Bangon Pilipinas’ Eddie Villanueva are still very much in it, she says.

via ABS-CBN News Online Beta.

From BusinessWorld’s columnists

   

The person who gets my vote
TO TAKE A STAND by Oscar P. Lagman Jr.

The country has suffered from 12 years of maladministration — two and a half years of bumbling and plunder by Erap, and nine and a half years of immoderate greed, unconscionable extravagance, and brazen abuse of power by GMA. My choice therefore for the next president is one who will put an end to the wretchedness and shame we have endured long enough.

I dismissed early from consideration J.C. de los Reyes, Nicky Perlas, and Eddie Villanueva. They may be pure of heart and noble of motive, but their lack of exposure to the workings of government render them incapable of undoing the colossal damage wrought by Erap and GMA. As for Jamby Madrigal, she looked lost in the Senate.

Click Oscar P. Lagman Jr..

Needed: Visionary leadership
FRAMEWORK By Elfren Sicangco Cruz

The Philippines needs an honest president who must also be a great leader to transform our country into a great nation. But what is a great leader?

A great transformative leader possesses a paradoxical mixture of personal humility and fierce resolve. They can be shy and fearless; modest and willful at the same time.

Click Elfren Sicangco Cruz

Comelec lapses?
MAP INSIGHTS By Manuel A. Alcuaz, Jr.

The P700-million contract for over-specified secrecy folders is just the latest in a string of Commission on Elections’ lapses. The most applicable definitions I could find for “lapse” from Encarta World British Dictionary include: error, a momentary fault or failure in behavior or morality. I think “lapse” is too polite a word to describe Comelec’s many “sins,” “transgressions,” “misbehavior,” etc.

Before we analyze the P700-million lapse, let me review Comelec’s many other lapses which are costing the nation very dearly.

Click Manuel Alcuaz Jr.

Race down to two, says Noynoy

   

•Says survey shows it’s time for others to withdraw

Aquino made the statement in Mabalacat, Pampanga, President Arroyo’s home province, following the release of the March 21-28 Pulse Asia survey showing him with 37 percent, or a 12-point lead over Nacionalista Party’s Sen. Manuel Villar.

Former President Joseph Estrada’s rating stayed at 18 percent while administration bet Gilberto Teodoro Jr. remained in fourth with 7 percent.

“Natural consequence yan. Parati naman pong yung No. 1 at No. 2 ang talagang magbabakbakan,” Aquino said.

via Business Insight Malaya | National.

ALSO READ:

Bro. Eddie likens presidential bid to fight vs ‘Goliaths’

As a televangelist who has yet to hold public office, Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Jesus Is Lord (JIL) Movement is aware that he is up against political “Goliaths” in his quest to become president of the country.

But like the biblical hero David, who defeated the giant Goliath despite his diminutive size, Villanueva is determined to win in the first ever nationwide automated elections on May 10 despite his poor performance in various presidential preference surveys, where he ranks only sixth among nine candidates.

Click GMANewsTV

Aquino opens up lead versus Villar

LIBERAL Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino III has opened up a nine-point lead over his nearest rival for the presidency, fellow legislator and Nacionalista Party bet Sen. Manuel “Manny” B. Villar, Jr., based on the results of the latest BusinessWorld-Social Weather Stations Pre-Election Survey.

Mr. Aquino picked up a point to score 37% and further benefitted from a six-point loss for Mr. Villar, now at 28%, in the March 19-22 poll conducted just before campaigning for local posts began last Friday. The gap between the two frontrunners was just two points, within the error margins used, a month earlier.

Spokesmen for both pointed to retweaked strategies working or needing further adjustment, and analysts have said local-level campaigning – where endorsements by their parties’ bets will ostensibly add a new dimension – could change things anew with still a little over a month and a half left to go before the May 10 elections.

Click Aquino opens up lead versus Villar.

ALSO READ:

Roxas maintains lead in race for vice-presidency

SENATOR Manuel “Mar” A. Roxas of the Liberal Party continues to dominate the contest for the vice-presidency despite a three-point drop in his voter preference score, leading Senator Loren B. Legarda who saw her support eroded by the same margin.

The latest BusinessWorld-Social Weather Stations (SWS) Pre-Election Survey, conducted last March 19-22 just ahead of the start of the local campaign period, put Mr. Roxas’ score at 42% versus Ms. Legarda’s 25%.

Compounding Ms. Legarda’s woes is the fact that the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino’s Jejomar “Jojo” C. Binay picked up four points to 21%, further narrowing the gap between the two of them.

Click BusinessWorld

Bro. Eddie not eager to join protests

MANILA, Philippines – Unlike some religious leaders who have said that they might join a revolt in the event of failure of elections, Jesus Is Lord (JIL) founder Bro. Eddie Villa-nueva said he is not eager to join the bandwagon of protests.

Villanueva, presidential candidate of the Bangon Pilipinas Party (BPP), told editors of The STAR that he would rather exhaust all democratic and peaceful means instead of joining revolts.

Villanueva, a former student activist, has had his share of street demonstrations and was even arresyted twice during the martial law years.

Click Philippine Star.

ALSO READ:

A day in the life… of Bro. Eddie

MANILA, Philippines – Since joining the presidential race, Bro. Eddie, founder of the Jesus Is Lord Church worldwide, has sacrificed sleep for more time on the campaign trail. These days, four hours of sleep is about all he gets.

He woke up at 4 a.m. last Thursday so as not to miss the two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from Sorsogon to Masbate.

A friend lent him and his Bangon Pilipinas Party (BPP) ticket for a private plane to get to the island province after a problem in the booking for passenger seats arose.

Click Phil. Star

No more televised presidential debates for now — Gibo

Administration party presidential bet Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. on Friday said he would no longer attend any televised presidential debate for now, citing the need to prioritize his campaign with local candidates.

At a press briefing, Teodoro said he had already explained to the public his platforms and views on issues during the first weeks of the campaign period.

“Hindi na ako dadalo ngayon. Kung malapit na ang araw ng halalan, baka pwede. Ngayon, wala ng issues sa participation ko sa debates. Saturated na lahat ng issues… Lahat ng issues na tinanong sa akin, na-articulate ko na to the max,” he said.

Click GMANews.TV.

ALSO READ:

Shun party-list groups linked to GMA – Gordon

MANILA, Philippines – Bagumbayan standard-bearer Sen. Richard Gordon urged voters yesterday to shun party-list groups linked to President Arroyo.

“They will try to amend the Constitution and install GMA as prime minister,” he said.

On the other hand, Bangon Pilipinas Party presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva said it would be hard to sell Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo as party-list nominee representing security guards even to patients in a mental institution.

Click Phil. Star

GMA appointments hit

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo drew flak yesterday for her recent frenzy of appointments and surprise dismissals, which were done barely two months before the end of her term in June.

Bangon Pilipinas presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva said Mrs. Arroyo committed serious injustice when she removed some officials and replaced them with favored friends and supporters.

Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, for his part, vowed to void the midnight appointments made by President Arroyo, saying they were blatant violations of the Constitution.

Click The Philippine Star.

ALSO READ:

IBP chapter appeals Supreme Court ruling on new chief justice

MANILA, Philippines – Lawyers comprising the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) chapter in Davao City filed with the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday a motion for reconsideration of its decision allowing President Arroyo to appoint the next chief justice despite a constitutional ban during the election period.

IBP-Davao members led by its former president Israelito Torreon filed the motion for reconsideration urging the high court to review its ruling last week, maintaining the President is not allowed to make any appointments during the last few months of her term under Article VII Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution.

Torreon argued the ban on midnight appointments covers the judiciary since “government’s operation is one of inter-dependence, and not of mutual exclusion.”

Click Phil. Star

HARAPAN tandem debate cancelled

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 2) – HARAPAN: The Tandem Presidential Debate scheduled for Sunday has been cancelled, after several presidential and vice-presidential candidates declined to participate.

The latest candidates to decline participation in the tandem debate are Liberal Party bets Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, and the tandem of Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar and Sen. Loren Legarda of the Nacionalista Party.

Aside from the LP and NP bets, also backing out of the debate organized by ABS-CBN News are former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Edu Manzano (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), and former President Joseph Estrada and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay (Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino/PDP-Laban).

The only presidential and vice presidential tandems to have confirmed attendance are Sen. Richard Gordon and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando (Bagumbayan-VNP), and Bro. Eddie Villanueva and former Securities and Exchange Commission chief Perfecto Yasay (Bangon Pilipinas).

Click ABS-CBN News Online Beta.

ALSO READ:

Ang Kapatiran decries ‘unfair’ treatment by ABS-CBN

The Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) of presidential aspirant John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes has threatened to file a case against a television network for allegedly treating their candidates “unfairly.”

In a press briefing on Friday, AKP president Eric Manalang said ABS-CBN violated the Fair Elections Act by failing to invite their vice presidential candidate Dominador “Jun” Chipeco for the “Harapan: The Vice Presidential Debate” last Sunday.

“We will be filing a case of the violation of Fair Elections Act against ABS-CBN. With this action we have no choice but to stop all cooperation with ABS-CBN until a resolution is reached,” AKP logistics officer Rica Manalang said.

Click GMANews.TV.

AND: Statement of ANC on MTRCB’s X-rating of 2 amBisyon 2010 films

Briefly

Hagedorn: Bro. Eddie open to endorsing another bet
• But Bro. Eddie denies allegation

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – The camp of Bro. Eddie Villanueva is open to endorsing another presidential candidate if there’s very little chance of him winning in the May 10 polls, according to a member of his Jesus Is Lord (JIL) religious group.

Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who is supporting JIL founder Villanueva, said there’s talk the TV evangelist may just endorse another bet if he sees that he won’t be able to win the presidency in his second attempt.

“May mga ganoong usapan. Pero siyempre, lahat naman ng kampo, nakikipag usap din kay Bro. Eddie. Maraming puwede pang mangyari. Medyo very fluid pa yung takbo ng ating sitwasyon ngayon,” Hagedorn said.

Click ABS-CBN News Online Beta.

Erap on pardon: I don’t owe Arroyo anything

This was the statement of former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo despite the presidential pardon given to him three years ago.

“Siya ang may may utang na loob dahil inagawan ako ng puwesto (She’s the one who owe me because she stole the presidency from me),” Estrada said when he took the hot seat on GMA News’ election show “Kandidato,” which was aired Wednesday night.

He said Malacañang had asked him to issue a written apology in exchange for his pardon, but he declined it. He also denied that he asked for his pardon.

Click GMA News.TV

Gordon sings, dances with comic duo on YouTube

MANILA, Philippines – Bagumbayan presidential candidate Sen. Richard Gordon can be seen dancing and lip-synching with comic duo Moymoy Palaboy on popular video-sharing site YouTube.

The YouTube clip titled “In The Jungle Version 2,” uploaded last Sunday, has 37,499 hits as of yesterday morning and has drawn 516 mixed reviews. The video runs two minutes and 43 seconds.

The video clip shows Moymoy and his brother Roadfill performing their 2009 lip-synch video “In the Jungle “ featuring the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens. Gordon joins them in the middle of the song. The video opens with “Moymoy Palaboy for Sen. Dick Gordon” and ends with “To be continued.”

Click Phil. Star

Oversized posters may ban six bets from presidential contest

Six of nine Philippine presidential candidates may face disqualification after their campaign materials have reportedly exceeded size limits and were allegedly posted in areas where these are disallowed.

Several campaign materials of Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III (Liberal Party), former president Joseph M. Ejercito Estrada (Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino-UNO), Senator Richard J. Gordon (Bagumbayan), Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), evangelist Eddie C. Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas), and Senator Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party) seem to violate campaign regulations, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson told reporters.

Click GMANews.TV.

ALSO READ:

Villar protests tax on campaign spending

SAGAY CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., who reportedly has spent the most in the ongoing campaign, is protesting the government’s tax collection on campaign spending.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), which is carrying out the collection of the tax, has indicated that it would most likely miss its target collection of P1.2 billion for this May’s elections.

Villar said he could not see how the BIR can talk about missing its target when the basis for the collection of the campaign tax is questionable.

Click Phil. Star

GMA cronies took advantage of Mindanao power crisis – Erap

MANILA, Philippines –   Former President Joseph Estrada accused yesterday the Arroyo administration of causing the power crisis in Mindanao to “line the pockets” of associates.

Speaking to reporters at the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) national headquarters in Mandaluyong, Estrada said the power crisis in Mindanao could have been avoided had the administration acted on it properly.

“The Arroyo administration did not take any concrete steps to avoid the calamity,” he said.

Click Philippine Star.

ALSO READ:

Bro. Eddie’s camp to Comelec: Don’t single us out on billboard rules

MANILA, Philippines – The Bangon Pilipinas Party criticized the Commission on Elections for singling out standard-bearer Eddie Villanueva in the implementation of regulations on campaign materials and billboards.

The BPP said campaign posters of other candidates could also be seen among major thoroughfares, in clear violation of the Comelec rule in designating common poster areas.

Click http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=558970&publicationSubCategoryId=63″target=”_blank”>Phil.Star

AND: Aquino scores removal of parents’ posters along Manila road