‘Noynoy kin, allies behind Pulse, SWS’

   

MANILA, Philippines – Relatives and close associates of Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino are directing behind the scenes the surveys being conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia, according to Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) senatorial candidate Francisco “Kit” Tatad.

Tatad, citing a research paper and documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), said members of the Aquino clan and former associates of the late President Corazon Aquino are directors and stockholders of SWS and Pulse Asia.

Among those named in the SEC documents and research papers were Rafael Cojuangco Lopa and Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco.

via Philippine Star.

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Villar featured in Forbes Asia Magazine

MANILA, Philippines – If elected president, Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr. will be the first businessman elected into the highest office in the land.

Forbes Asia magazine recently ran a story on Villar’s candidacy, his struggle out of poverty, and his promise to apply a business management style of governance when elected president.

Last year, Villar ranked ninth on the Forbes list of the Philippines’ 40 Richest, having a net worth of $530 million.

Via Phil. Star

MEANWHILE:

Noli says PGMA has contingency plans but won’t tell

MANILA, Philippines – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo already has a contingency plan in mind in case the problems over the automation of the elections escalate, according to Vice President Noli de Castro.

De Castro was asked if the President is thinking of contingency plans considering the latest developments in the automation project. He said: “I think may naisip si Presidente na contingency kahapon. May pinag-uusapan na rin sila na contingency measures. I’m just not privy to tell you.”

De Castro said the President is worried over the latest developments in the automation project, but her hands are tied by law since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is in charge of the elections.

Via ABS-CBN News

Chaos hatched to disrupt May 10 polls – Binay

MANILA, Philippines – Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay claimed yesterday that Malacañang has hatched a scenario of chaos to disrupt the May 10 elections and extend President Arroyo’s hold on power.

Binay, running mate of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino presidential bet former President Joseph Estrada, said the scenario is part of a “grand scheme” that is certain to be exploited by the Arroyo administration.

“There is an engineered chaos. Nothing happens by accident under the Arroyo administration. These very disturbing developments point to a carefully laid out plan to create chaos at the polls on May 10 that could lead to a failure of elections,” Binay said.

Via Phil. Star

Briefly…

   

Celebrities seeking posts in the May 10 polls

Over a hundred celebrities are seeking national and local posts in the May polls, the most since the 2004 elections, data collected by GMA News Research said.

In the May 2010 elections, 16 out of 109 celebrities are running for national posts while the rest are seeking local positions, mostly seeking to be councilors, based on review of the official list of candidates nationwide, GMA News Research said.

This year’s celebrity candidates — including actors, singers, beauty titlists, news reporters, broadcasters or anchors, and sports figures — make up the longest list since the 2004 elections, based on data gathered by GMA News Research and an earlier study by the Institute for Popular Democracy.

GMANews.TV

Survey says Filipinos want leader to prioritize healthcare programs

Filipinos want the next president to prioritize healthcare insurance for all, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP).

PHAP is a non-stock and non-profit association of companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution and retail of medicines, over-the-counter products, nutrionals and medicinal devices.

The survey was conducted from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 on a national sample of 1,200 respondents with +/- 2.7% national error margin.

“Seventy-eight percent of the respondents believe that an agenda for health insurance is important in their choice of candidate for the May 2010 elections,” according to the survey.

via BusinessWorld Online:.

SWS: No ban on publication of election survey results

MANILA, Philippines – The Social Weather Stations (SWS) said yesterday there is no ban on the publication of election survey results any time before election day.

SWS president Mahar Mangahas said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) recognizes the legality of poll surveys, adding that the Supreme Court has ruled as “unconstitutional Section 5.4 of Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act.”

Section 5.4 of RA 9006 states that “surveys affecting national candidates shall not be published 15 days before the day of the election and surveys affecting local candidates shall not be published seven days before the day of the election.”

via Phil. Star

Noli willing to talk to Noynoy

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines – Vice President Noli de Castro is willing to talk to Liberal Party presidential candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III regarding the coming May 10 elections.

Aquino disclosed that De Castro’s chief of staff Jesse Andres had told him that the vice president wants to have discussions with him.

“It’s been there for quite sometime, the invitation to talk, but the meeting has not yet pushed through,” Aquino told The STAR.

via Phil. Star

Early ARMM elections

By DUCKY PAREDES

IN December, in the aftermath of the politically motivated massacre of killing of 52 persons, including journalists, in Maguindanao, Atty. Macabangkit B. Lanto, former ambassador and his brother Atty. Benjamin B. Lanto filed a petition last year with the Comelec, asking for earlier elections in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Besides addressing the issue of electoral violence, citing the mass execution attributed to the Ampatuans, the brothers also noted then that “holding the election earlier in the ARMM will address the requirements of Republic Act No. 8436, otherwise known as the Automated Election System Law (the “Automated Election Law”), as amended by Republic Act No. 9369, that the machine or Precinct Count Optical Scanner (“PECOS”) shall be tested first in some areas in the country before it is actually used in the May 10, 2010 National Elections. And if successful in the ARMM, it will allay all fears and apprehensions about machine’s capability and viability. And if there are corrective moves that the Honorable Commission has to undertake, it will have enough lead time to do it.”

Click DUCKY PAREDES.

Angara seeks election of new Senate head to avoid ‘vacuum’

The Senate would have to elect when sessions resume on May 31 a new leader whose term is not expiring on June 30 to ensure somebody will be in charge in case elections fail on May 10, Senator Edgardo J. Angara said on Sunday.

Angara, a former Senate president who still has to finish half of his six-year term until 2013, noted that the terms of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Prospero Nograles would all expire on June 30.

This means nobody would be at the country’s helm after that in case of an election failure, he told dzBB radio. “It’s an imperative for the survival of the republic,” Angara, an administration ally, said of the election of a new Senate president.

Click GMANews.TV.

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Palace pledge: Arroyo gone after June 30

MANILA, Philippines—Amid fears of failed polls in May and a military takeover, spokespersons of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Palace officials Sunday insisted that she had no plans of extending her term beyond what was prescribed in the Constitution.

“Malacañang assured the public that (the President) will definitely step down on June 30,” said Charito Planas, Ms Arroyo’s deputy spokesperson.

“The tours she has been making around the country are her last-minute rounds to check that all her finished projects are being maintained and will be maintained, [and that] all ongoing projects are being continued and the unfinished ones to be assumed and continued by whoever will win in the coming polls,” Planas said in a statement.

Click Inquirer.net

OF course, once upon a time, she also pledged she wouldn’t run for president. Liar, liar, pants on fire!

‘Fund woes forced Noli out of race’

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The lack of financial resources forced Vice President Noli de Castro to withdraw his bid for the May 10 presidential elections, his adviser revealed yesterday.

Jessie Andres, chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President, said the lack of funds forced De Castro to decide not to run for president even if he was already leading in the surveys.

“The man (De Castro) has well-defined scruples. The man cannot sacrifice his principles to muster funds just so he could launch his candidacy at all cost. He is not that kind. He just refuses. He is not willing to sacrifice his scruples,” Andres said.

Click Philippine Star.