Legarda sets eyes for presidency, not VP

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Loren Legarda rejected suggestions on Wednesday that she run again for vice president in 2010 and stated that she could serve the people effectively if she were the “captain of the ship.”

She was reacting to reports that the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), the party led by billionaire businessman Eduardo Cojuangco, was considering a team-up of Senators Francis Escudero and Legarda for the 2010 presidential elections.

But when asked if she would consider running for vice president again, Legarda said, “It’s highly unlikely because ... been there, done that.”

“I want to serve our people and that can only be done if I am the captain of the ship,” she said in an interview.

Legarda talked of her “passion and compassion for good management and governance.”

“It is this passion and compassion that will eventually drive me to run for the highest post if and when I so decide and I so declare. And I will make such decision at the proper time,” she said.

She said she would “continue the fight” started by the late opposition standard bearer, movie star Fernando Poe Jr.

Legarda was handpicked by Poe as his running mate in 2004, but they lost to the team of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Noli de Castro.

“If and when I declare to run for President,” it would be based “on a vision and platform of good governance,” she said.

“I will not just be a whim—because I want to run—and timing. It will be based on a platform and vision for our country. A vision of good governance, sustainable development, transparency and accountability to the people,” she said.

During the NPC Christmas party that Cojuangco hosted on Monday at the Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club, the talk was of an Escudero-Legarda or Legarda-Escudero ticket in 2010.

According to Legarda, the “informal agreement” was for Cojuangco to anoint the topnotcher in the presidential surveys as the party standard-bearer.

“Of course, [Cojuangco] will endorse the one who’s winnable,” she said.

Legarda and Escudero are both members of NPC which also counts 28 congressmen and hundreds of local officials from governors down to mayors in its roster.

Legarda did not rule out the NPC coalescing with other parties. “The party is strong in itself but coalitions are usually entered into during elections.”

As for Senator Manuel Villar and Vice President Noli de Castro, the two other known presidential aspirants that have been consistently topping the surveys, she said: “I can take on anyone. In the end I only compete with myself, not with other people.” inquirer.net

Palace slams Roxas for ‘stooping so low’ with crude language

MANILA, Philippines - Malacaňang on Saturday denounced Sen. Manuel Roxas II for uttering invectives in public during the interfaith rally in Makati on Friday against Charter change (Chacha).

Leaders of different sectors who joined the rally were allowed to talk on stage for three minutes and Roxas used his time to admonish the Arroyo administration, which he said wanted to cling on to power beyond 2010 by amending the Constitution.

In a statement, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza on Saturday accused the presidential wannabe for "stooping so low."

In his speech, the Liberal Party president said: "Ngayon gusto ni (President) Gloria (Macapagal Arroyo) na baluktutin ang ating Saligang Batas para manatili sa poder … p____ ina, ano na 'to!," Roxas shouted in front of the crowd, something which he apologized for later.

"We are saddened that he stooped so low in his tirades," Dureza said, adding that the incident will definitely not help Roxas’ impending presidential bid.

"We don't think his crass language will help in his desperate drive to catch up with the popularity ratings of other leading presidentiables," Dureza added.

Among the so-called "presidentiables" present in the rally were Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, president of the United Opposition; former Senate President Manny Villar, president of the Nacionalist Party; Sens Francis Escudero and Loren Legarda, both members of Nationalist Peoples Coalition; Panfilo Lacson, and Roxas.

Of those "presidentiables," only Villar begged off to go on stage to deliver his piece on the Chacha issue. gmanews.tv

Palace to bare administration slate for 2010

MANILA, Philippines — To allay persistent fears that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo intends to stay in power beyond 2010, Malacañang will announce soon its bets for the 2010 elections, a Palace executive said Saturday.

But Presidential Management Staff (PMS) head Cerge Remonde refused to elaborate, saying it is up to presidential political affairs adviser Gabriel Claudio to make the announcement.

"Abangan nyo yan, meron siguro tayong balita diyan lalabas sa susunod na araw galing kay Sec. Gabby Claudio (Just wait for it. Claudio will make the proper announcements)," Remonde said on government-run dzRB radio.

When asked if Claudio will make the announcement before Christmas Day, he said, "kay Sec. Claudio ang timing (I leave the timing to Claudio)."

Remonde also would not say if the slate includes bets for president and senators. Malacañang earlier hinted it is grooming Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. as standard bearer.

The Palace is also eyeing Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando as a possible presidential bet.

But Remonde hinted there will be Cabinet members in the lineup.

"I am sure there are so many outstanding members of the Cabinet who are qualified," he said when asked if there will be Cabinet members in the administration slate.

When asked if there will be a Cabinet reshuffle or a revamp once the slate is announced, he said, "’pag may vacancy I am sure papalitan ‘yan ngequally capable Cabinet members (if there are vacancies I am sure they will be replaced with equally capable Cabinet members)." gmanews.tv

Makati rally a virtual political sortie for 2010 ‘presidentiables’

MANILA, Philippines - The massive anti-Charter change rally in Makati City on Friday appeared to be an early campaign sortie for "presidentiables" in the upcoming 2010 elections, a radio report said.

In a report, dzBB's Nimfa Ravelo said potential presidential aspirants Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, Sen. Loren Legarda and Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero were present at the rally.

Former President Joseph Estrada - who had earlier said he might make another presidential run in 2010 - was also briefly present in the rally but had to cut his participation to attend to his ailing mother.

Organizers earlier said they will allow key political figures - presidentiables included - to have a three-minute speaking time during the rally program which is expected to extend up to 9 p.m.

In the rally, supporters of Binay - who, in November announced that he will be running for president in 2010 - were stationed close to the stage, some on them were even carrying banners saying, "Binay for President!"

Meanwhile, Legarda's supporters, mostly women, were identified with their uniform white shirts bearing Legarda's name.

Escudero, who is regarded as another possible presidential candidate, was not able to escape fanfare as several women fans flocked to him and planted kisses on his cheek and took pictures with him.

"Nakakatuwang makita na magkakalaban man sila sa darating na eleksyon, sama- sama sila para tutulan ang Cha-cha... iba-iba man ang kanilang partido, ang kanilang paniniwala... nagkakaisa sila laban sa Cha-cha," the report quoted Escudero as saying.

Escudero also expressed confidence that moves in the congress pushing for Charter change will not prosper without the Senate's nod.

"Liwanagin ng Kamara ang kanilang posisyon. Gusto ba talaga nilang balewalain ang Senado o hindi? Kaya ba nilang makapasa ng bill na hindi kasama ang Senado? Hindi nila kayang gawin yun (The Lower House should state their position. Do they really want to ignore the Senate or not? Do they think they could pass a bill without the Senate's approval? They can not do that)," Escudero said. gmanews.tv

DRE, OMR systems for 2010 elections

MAKATI CITY, Philippines -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) would likely use multiple technologies if it finally automates the elections in 2010.

The Comelec Advisory Council, spearheaded by Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III, has finally issued the group’s official recommendations before the Comelec.

The council has recommended that Comelec use direct recording electronic (DRE) and optical scan technologies in the 2010 national and local elections.

In its resolution dated November 29, the council recommended the following: DRE or precinct count optical scan (PCOS) technology for all areas, subject to the election automation budget of the Comelec; central count optical scan (CCOS) technology for all other areas not covered by DRE or PCOS technology; and the public telecommunications networks for the transmission of results.

DRE allows a voter to cast a vote directly on a machine by the use of a touch-screen, touchpad, keypad or other device and the machine records the individual votes and calculates the total electronically.

PCOS and CCOS technologies utilize an optical scanner, into which paper ballots marked by hand by the voter are inserted to be counted. PCOS places a scanner at every precinct, while CCOS places a scanner in every voting center or cluster of precincts.

The Comelec advisory council was created through Republic Act 9369, which provides for the creation of an inter-agency advisory body to evaluate and recommend the "most appropriate, secure, applicable and cost-effective" automation technology.

In a separate interview, Comelec Spokesperspon James Jimenez said the Comelec en banc group would study the recommendations forwarded by the Comelec Advisory Council.

Of the recommended technologies, Jimenez said the DRE has received some opposition since the automated election system was perceived to be vulnerable to attacks.

"For the Comelec, it would be a balance of interests regarding the election technology to be deployed in 2010," said Jimenez.

The key challenge to the implementation of the election machines would be the "per precinct cost of each machine to be deployed," Jimenez said.

Cost was a "big factor" considered by the Advisory Council in making their recommendations due to the total number of precincts to be supplied with machines during the elections, the Comelec spokesperson added.

The en banc group hopes to reach a decision immediately so the Comelec can start procurement of the machines as early as January 2009, Jimenez said.

The Comelec has said that it requires $21 billion budget to implement the automation of polls.

Jimenez said the agency is optimistic the Senate and the Department of Budget and Management will support the proposed budget.

"Automated polls would work for the best interest of everyone and we are confident no one will stand in its implementation," said Jimenez.

Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon said during his visit at the Election Technologies Conference late in November that he does not favor optical scans due to its limitations.

Manila archbishop wants elections held on 2010

MANILA, Philippines – Amid speculations that Malacañang is cooking up a “no-election" scenario in 2010, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales on Thursday said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will likely step down from office when her term expires.

Radio dzBB’s Teresa Tavares quoted Rosales as saying that the public will not allow efforts to prolong the President’s tenure to gather momentum.

At least 167 members of the House of Representatives have so far expressed their support for a resolution seeking to convene Congress into a constituent assembly for the purpose of rewriting the Philippine Constitution

Critics fear that tinkering with the Constitution at this time, especially through a constituent assembly, could lead incumbent congressmen to remove limits to their term of office and allow President Arroyo to remain in power beyond 2010.

Malacañang, however, assured that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will step down in 2010 as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.

The report added that Rosales wants the 2010 national polls to push through “to replace politicians who do not deserve to be elected."

Rosales had earlier joined the ranks of those critical of politicians. Last week, the Manila archbishop said the "ignorant poor" are always taken advantaged of by self-serving government officials.

“What a pitiful situation it is when the persons who are ignorant of their rights are also poor, and are left in that state of not knowing the truth. Some are ignorant of their rights and privileges and no one dares to help them," Rosales said. gmanews.tv

Villar, de Castro top Moro online survey on 2010 polls

Former Senate President Manuel Villar and Vice-President Noli de Castro topped an online survey of possible candidates for the 2010 presidential elections, an online report said Tuesday.

The website luwaran.com said Villar topped the survey with 294 votes followed by de Castro with 240 votes of the total 1088 votes cast since November 1 this year.

Sen. Loren Legarda came third with 197 or 18.1 percent of the votes; Sen. Panfilo Lacson came fourth with 191 votes or 17.6 percent; Sen. Richard Gordon, fifth with 64 votes or 5.9 percent; Sen. Mar Roxas, sixth with 54 votes or 5 percent; and former President Joseph Estrada, seventh and last with 48 votes or 4.4 percent.

The last vote was cast on December 1, 2008.

The online survey asked readers: “Who do you want to be president of the Philippines in 2010?” Only Moros were urged to participate in the survey, but there is no way to check whether this guideline is followed strictly.

A luwaran insider considered the result of the survey as reflective of the general sentiment of the Moros not only in Mindanao or elsewhere in the Philippines but even those who are working or residing overseas. He referred especially to the rankings of Roxas and Estrada, whom he said were identified as two of those most hated by Moros in an online survey conducted earlier for this purpose.

However, he admitted that the survey is not very scientific as it can be manipulated by unscrupulous individuals or groups. abs-cbnnews.com

Comelec launches voters information campaign

MANILA, Philippines – With the resumption of the nationwide registration of voters in preparation for the 2010 general elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday launched an information campaign to encourage first-time voters to register.

A radio dzBB report quoted Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez as saying the campaign, titled “Be the Change: Botanteng Pilipino, Magparehistro Ka" (Filipino Voter, Register) was launched at the University of Santo Tomas campus in Manila.

Present at the launch were volunteers from the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the report said.

The Comelec on Tuesday resumed its continuing nationwide registration of voters. The listing will run until Dec. 15, 2009. The continuing registration will include the capture of biometrics data, the poll body said earlier.

The poll body has also partnered with several groups to set up satellite registration sites, or those outside the premises of city or municipal election officers.

The first satellite office was likewise opened Tuesday in UST. gmanews.tv