MAR Roxas, LP vice presidential candidate, on Headstart

   

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The Lord of Makati – Can Binay explain his wealth?

   

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Editorials and opinions

   

All over but the voting
THERE’S THE RUB By Conrado de Quiros

It’s all over but the voting. That’s so for the presidential race at least. It’s so not just because Manny Villar’s numbers are swiftly falling, it’s so because Noynoy Aquino’s numbers are swiftly rising.

Via Conrado de Quiros

Malaya Editorial: Who he?

We have long known Delgado. He likes to tilt at windmills, but as a good finance man, he knows how to conduct due diligence. While Napocor president, he exposed the P27 billion overcharging of the Manila Electric Co. Meralco threw everything at him except the kitchen sink. In the end, Delgado’s claim of Meralco overcharging was affirmed by the Supreme Court. Up to now, Meralco has still to complete reimbursing the excess charges.

In the case of Noynoy’s fake psychological evaluation, clearly Delgado shot himself in the foot. But he’s old enough to face the consequences of what he did.

via Malaya.

The ‘religious’ side of politics
By LITO BANAYO

Now that another religious leader failed to get his dream alliance of “orange” forces through, how will he position his “charismatic” following in this crazy amalgam of politics and religion? Would he follow the lead of Pastor Quiboloy, or would he also go consulting Jamby’s swami? Would he try to ask the mambunong how he reads anything out of pig bile, or would he just stick it out with his realtor-friend, come hell or high water? It’s a dilemma, surely not at all a moral one.

Via Lito Banayo

Two of our few good men and women
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo

Cory utilized the meeting to seek my help in selecting Jimmy Ferrer’s replacement. Many desired the powerful position but as we went through the possible suitable candidates — both Cory and your Chair Wrecker realized that we had very few good men and women to choose from.

I could never forget the expression on Cory’s face when she said: “You see Billy, how few good people we have.” Her expression reflected the hardship of an earnest reformer who felt that she did not have the talent pool of trustworthy candidates for public office that’s required in order to accomplish her mission.

Via William Esposo

Venom, bile, and Vista Land
By DEAN DELA PAZ

First, they had the pedigreed take to the gutter to peddle the fallacy of double appropriations where there were none.

Where the electorate is easily awed by class and titled names followed by alphabet soup, many realized too late that there were two different roads — one, an elevated toll way, another, a critical ground-level freeway.

Click Dean dela Paz

For better or worse
To Take A Stand — By Rafael M. Alunan III

Six days from now we will troop to the precincts in the most important election yet in the history of our country. Around 50 million Filipino voters will decide who their next national and local leaders will be for the next three to six years. For the first time in history, an automated election system (AES) will be used nationwide. Will it be ready to produce swift and accurate election results unlike previous manualized elections?

Click Rafael Alunan III

Daily Tribune editorial: ‘Crazy’

Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, asked by reporters if the leaders of the Catholic church would call for, or support, another people power revolt — following calls from Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, that should he be cheated out of his presidential victory, he would mount street protests that would be worse than the undeclared civil war in Thailand — called this position taken by Noynoy “crazy. Crazy. Crazy,” adding that issuing out calls like these is irresponsible.

Via Daily Tribune

Questioning surveys
FRONTLINE By Ninez Cacho Olivares

It’s amazing how, this late in the survey game, the firms that conduct these surveys admit that surveys are not predictive of the results of the presidential elections — nor for that matter, the senatorial polls, which incidentally, they hardly get right, as far as the last four to six bets’ rankings and getting into the Magic 12, go.

It’s just as amazing that there is today an admission that, even a week in campaign politics can change the standings of the surveyed candidates.

CLick Ninez Cacho Olivares

Gibo: Still an uphill climb ahead, even after Quiboloy’s endorsement

   

DAVAO CITY , Philippines – Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro yesterday said the presidential race is still a tough fight for him despite the endorsement given by evangelist Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Name Above Every Name congregation.

“It is still an uphill climb ahead. That is why I need your prayers, I need the prayer of every Filipino. The climb uphill is not an easy one. But truly, I am humbled, let us all pray together as we all go together in this endeavor. I ask of you to be with me,” Teodoro said.

On Sunday night, Quiboloy endorsed Teodoro in a global worship service attended by 50,000 of his followers. The endorsement was also broadcast by congregation-owned Sunshine Media.

Via Phil. Star

Aquino admits asking Binay to be DILG chief

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Liberty Party (LP) standard-bearer Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III has admitted offering a Cabinet position to Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay in case he wins in the presidential elections.

Interviewed in a campaign rally in Albay on Monday, Aquino said he asked Binay, who has been a local official since 1986, to be his secretary of interior and local government.

But Aquino pointed out that he had made the offer before Binay decided to run for vice president and running mate of his rival, former President Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).

via ABS-CBN News.

Erap to Noynoy: ‘Here I come’

FORMER President Joseph Estrada yesterday told Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino not to be so confident about winning the May 10 elections despite leading in surveys since last year.

“The race is not yet over, we believe we can still catch up. The surveys showed that we are catching up very fast,” Estrada said in a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Mandaluyong City yesterday.

“The undecided voters have increased. As you know my supporters are the silent majority,” he added.

Via Malaya

Villar, Loren confident of victory on May 10

VIGAN CITY , Philippines — Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manuel Villar Jr. and his running mate Loren Legarda are confident of victory on May 10.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Villar said he is not bothered that Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Name Above Every Name congregation had endorsed Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro Jr.

“It’s fine,” he said. “As I said, there are groups who will support and others who will not. If they do, thanks. If they don’t, it’s not a problem.”

Via Phil. Star

Teachers ready for polls, says DepEd

INFO-TECH capable.

This is how the Department of Education (DepEd) described teachers who will sit in the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in next Monday’s automated local and national elections.

Secretary Mona Valisno said at least one of the three members of the BEIs in every precinct has the capability to perform the task professionally.

Valisno made the assurance as 137,200 teachers have been certified by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as information technology capable after they got an average passing rate of 91% in the DOST Certification Program.

Via Malaya

JBC nominates Corona for SC Chief Justice post

   

MANILA, Philippines – Senior Associate Justice Renato Corona and three other contenders for chief justice are in the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC)’s shortlist to be sent to President Arroyo tomorrow.

The eight-member collegial body led by retiring Chief Justice Reynato Puno decided to submit the shortlist with the names of four candidates – Corona, Supreme Court Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Arturo Brion, and Sandiganbayan acting Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval – following an SC decision last month allowing the President to appoint Puno’s successor.

This developed as the Supreme Court (SC) said yesterday that the President could not appoint a new chief justice until a vacancy is created, which is on May 17.

Via Phil. Star

ALSO READ: SC contradicts Palace on Chief Justice

Justice Secretary Agra cheated in law school – professor

   

Who is lying and who is telling the truth?

The former professor of acting Justice Secretary Alberto C. Agra has finally spoken to refute his student’s claim that he was exonerated of cheating in a law subject exam, which he took 22 years ago at the Ateneo de Manila University Law School.

Atty. Avelino Sebastian Jr. said that if Agra was indeed exonerated by the school’s investigating committee that inquired into the reported cheating, how then could the acting justice secretary explain why was Agra the only one who flunked the Wills and Succession subject in 1988, out of seven students who reportedly cheated?

Last week, in his reply to the queries of the Philippine Center Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) about his alleged cheating, Agra had admitted that he flunked the subject taught by Sebastian, thus barring him from graduating on time.

via ABS-CBN News Online Beta.

MORE election news:

Former DILG chief endorses Gibo

MANILA, Philippines – Rafael Alunan III, president of the First Philippine Infrastructure Development Corporation and a former Interior and Local Government secretary, has publicly endorsed former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s bid for the country’s top post.

In his Facebook page, Alunan said he endorsed Teodoro for president because he “articulates a vision, a sense of mission and a sensible action agenda.”

Teodoro, he added, “avoids personality politics; stays focused on the issues; avoids negative campaigning to give the voters the opportunity to understand his platform and how he intends to govern and serve.”

Via ABS-CBN News

FVR says ‘no’ to new Edsa Revolt

MANILA, Philippines – Former President Fidel V. Ramos does not support Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s call for another “People Power” if he loses the presidential elections.

The former president, who said he could not speak for the Church but only for retired military officers like himself, urged Aquino on Monday to consider using legal means first before launching another military-backed civilian similar to the one undertaken in February 1986.

“It’s not a good thing to hear, especially coming from someone like him,” Ramos said, referring to Aquino’s threat. “The chief of the local clergy has also spoken against it, too.”

Via ABS-CBN News

CBCP summons Bangit

MANILA, Philippines – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Delfin Bangit has been summoned by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), amid persistent reports of a military takeover in case of chaos brought by massive failure of elections.

Bangit will appear before the CBCP permanent council in its regular meeting on Tuesday. Church sources said the agenda is the forthcoming May 10 elections and the peace and order situation.

This will be the second time that Bangit will meet with the princes of the Church in light of fears that the military will take advantage of the pandemonium that could result from failed elections.

Via ABS-CBN News

IMF wants next government to hike VAT

   

MANILA, Philippines – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) wants the value-added tax raised to 15 percent and the income tax rate slashed to 21 percent under the next administration, according to Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran.

Beltran said he learned of the IMF position during the institution’s recent meetings in Washington, which he attended.

Raising VAT from the current 12 percent to 15 percent and cutting the income tax from 30 percent to 21 percent were mainly recommendations of University of the Philippines economists. Finance Secretary Margarito Teves has endorsed the recommendations.

Via Phil. Star

Foreign observers start arriving

MANILA, Philippines – Foreign observers have started arriving for the May 10 elections, with a group from the United States ready to leave within the week for Mindanao, a perennial election hotspot.

Japan is sending 23 people to observe the elections in Metro Manila while an undisclosed number of British observers are also set to arrive before May 10.

“No, they won’t intervene. They will just observe how we will be conducting the polls this time,” a source told The STAR.

Via Phil. Star

EARLIER:

PCGG chief: Imelda placed Marcos wealth at $1 trillion

MANILA, Philippines — It’s the kind of fantastic wealth that could run the Philippines for almost 40 years or pay off its foreign debt 18 times.

While dodging criticism for “exploring” a settlement with the family of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) Commissioner Ricardo Abcede claimed on Monday that the dictator’s widow Imelda confessed to keeping $1 trillion in an account in New York.

Abcede said this twice in interviews over ABS-CBN’s dzMM radio and ANC on Monday, as he defended his decision to pursue a settlement with the Marcoses to recover some P140 billion in ill-gotten wealth, instead of giving due course to more than 500 court cases against the Marcoses and cronies.

Via Inquirer.net

Bro. Mike says he won’t endorse any presidential bet

MANILA, Philippines (1st UPDATE) – El Shaddai leader Mariano “Bro. Mike” Velarde on Monday said he will not endorse a presidential candidate in this year’s elections.

In a press conference at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) where he offered his group’s services to ensure credible polls, Velarde said he will not influence voters, but will instead respect their right to make their own choices.

Velarde responded to a question on whether if he will stand by a previous statement not to endorse a candidate. He was also asked if he would continue not to make public his personal choice prior to an election.

Via ABS-CBN News