Comelec: Over 250 party-list groups seek accreditation for 2010 polls

More than 250 party-list groups have applied for accreditation to participate in the 2010 elections, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official said Tuesday.

Comelec law department director Ferdinand Rafanan said that 106 party-list groups filed their petitions for registration last Monday, bringing to 252 the total number of civic groups seeking accreditation for the 2010 polls.

"Sobrang dami nila na nag-last minute filing (A lot of groups filed at the last minute)," Rafanan told dzBB radio in an interview.

The Comelec set August 17 as the deadline for the "filing of petitions for registration of political parties…, organizations and coalitions under the party-list system of representation."

Rafanan, however, did not mention how many political parties have filed their petitions.

In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Rossie Palacio of the poll body’s Office of the Clerk of the Commission said they are still finalizing the tally of the political parties and party-list groups that have submitted their petitions.



First step

Lodging a petition is a party-list group’s first step in getting accredited, Rafanan said.

“Mayroong preliminary screening, pagkatapos tayo ay magsa-submit ng recommendation sa Commission (all Comelec commissioners) en banc, ihi-hearing nila ‘yon (After a preliminary screening, we would submit a recommendation to the Commission en banc, who would hear the petitions)," Rafanan said.

During the hearing, the Comelec commissioners would verify whether the applicant group exists, whether it has complied with all requirements, and whether it represents "marginalized and underrepresented sectors."

Republic Act No. 7941, also known as Party-List System Act, lists the following qualifications for a group to be considered marginalized, or belonging to the underrepresented sectors: "labor, peasant, fisher folk, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, elderly, handicapped, women, youth, veterans, overseas workers, and professionals."

The hearings would help the commissioners decide whether a party-list group is eligible for accreditation.

Results by October

Rafanan said that while the whole process might be tedious, the Comelec is targeting the release of the results of the hearing "by October," and that the Comelec would try to hear 10 petitions a day to meet the deadline.

Among the 252 party-list groups that filed for accreditation are the Alyansa ng Sabungero, Aabot, All Rainbow Party, Alab ng Lahi, Partido Lakas ng Masa, Citizen Call for Action, One Nation Empowered with Technology, Liwanag sa Bilangguan, OFWs, Alagaan Natin Ating Kalusugan, Grand Bohol, Balikatan and Ang Ladlad. [See: Cockfighting aficionados eye congressional seat] - GMANews.TV

Senate panel defers dismissal of Jarvinia case vs Villar

A Senate panel on Tuesday deferred its action on the dismissal of the ethics complaint filed against Senator Manny Villar Jr. in connection with his alleged land-grabbing case in Bulacan province.

The decision was made after senators noted the similarities of the evidence in the so-called Jarvinia case with those presented during last week’s hearing of the committee on the whole on a separate ethics complaint against Villar.

Senators Panfilo Lacson, ethics committee chairman, Manuel Roxas II, Gregorio Honasan II and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri agreed to “temporarily hold in abeyance the decision on the complaint until we can firmly ascertain its connection with the evidence presented on Thursday."

Roxas said the case could be connected with the subject of the ethics complaint filed by Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby" Madrigal that was tackled by the committee of the whole last Thursday.

In the complaint, which was also filed before the Office of the Ombudsman, private citizen Gina Jarvinia accused Villar and his wife, Las Piñas Representative Cynthia Villar, of land-grabbing in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

Lack of quorum

Laywer Jhomuel Mendoza, committee general counsel, recommended the dismissal of the Jarvinia complaint three months ago but the panel was not able to act on it due to lack of quorum.

Mendoza said he recommended the dismissal of the compliant since based on documents, Villar’s alleged acts were committed before he became a senator.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said after Thursday's hearing that acts committed by a senator before he or she assumes his or her post are beyond the jurisdiction of the Senate.

The ethics committee's legal counsel will submit next week a matrix on the similarities of Jarvina's complaint with that of Madrigal's.

'Simple politicking'

Villar, for his part, accused the panel of politicking in deferring the dismissal of the Jarvinia case.

"I see no other reason why fellow presidentiables seem to be employing foot-dragging tactics in the dismissal of the Jarvinia case but plain and simple politicking," Villar said in a text message to reporters.

He noted that the case had been junked by the Ombudsman in 2008, and that several senators had already expressed their intention to dismiss the case as early as May 2009.

"The move to defer action on the recommendation to dismiss (the case) is nothing but another desperate attempt by my political rivals to malign my reputation," said Villar, who is being groomed to run for president in next year's national elections.

Liban vs Gordon

The committee on the other hand approved the junking of the complaint filed against Senator Richard Gordon by former Quezon City Representative Dante Liban as the Supreme Court had already issued its decision on the matter.

Liban had accused Gordon of holding two positions in the government, being a lawmaker and a chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross.- GMANews.TV

Palace defends govt ‘infomercials’

A Malacañang official on Tuesday defended Cabinet members who have infomercials on television and radio, saying these is part of their mandate to inform the public about the programs of their departments.

“As far as I'm concerned, what the Cabinet members are doing is just within their mandate to be able to disseminate information pertaining to their departments," said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita in an ambush interview.

Ermita made the statement three days after the Manila Regional Trial Court issued a temporary restraining order against the airing of the infomercials.

The issuance of the TRO was based on a petition filed by lawyer Ernesto Franciso Jr.

Ermita said government lawyers would address the cases against the Cabinet members.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who was one of those affected by the issuance of the TRO last Friday, expressed regret that his constitutional duty to inform the public has been stifled.

Duque is one of several Cabinet members being eyed by the administration to run for senator in the 2010 national elections.

But in radio interview earlier in the day, he said he is not inclined to “waste his time" if the surveys show that he has little chance of winning.

“Tingnan natin ang survey. Kung kulelat tayo sa survey huwag natin pagsayangin ng panahon (I’ll look at the surveys. If I fare poorly, I’d rather not waste my time)," Duque told dzXL radio. - GMANews.TV

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

Groups push for transparency, 'hybrid' counting for 2010

MANILA, Philippines – With the 2010 elections approaching, a coalition of civil society groups on Tuesday called for transparency in the election process in a bid to prevent, if not eliminate, cases of poll fraud.

At the same time, the groups pushed for a "hybrid" system of counting for the coming polls, saying that the Commission on Elections' system is still open to cheating.

In a forum in Makati City, the Movement for Good Governance particularly tackled election automation and underscored its advantages and drawbacks on efforts to introduce electoral reform.

Speaking before the forum was National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) Information Technology systems head and technology expert Augusto Lagman, a proponent and critic of automated elections.

Lagman expressed reservations regarding the proposed direct recording electronic (DRE) technology and the optical mark reader (OMR) machines that the government plans on using for the full automation of the forthcoming elections.

The DRE system allows voting through a touch-screen or touch-pad, while the OMR system requires voters to shade an oval corresponding to the candidate's name on a paper ballot. The ballot is then read by the OMR machine.

Lagman said that while both systems are beneficial, "wholesale cheating" will not yet be completely eliminated as poll results can still be tampered with "because of human intervention."

He then added that the systems are not transparent to the eyes of the public and "voters will still distrust vote-counting that they do not see."

Lagman then said that even if Commission on Elections (Comelec) claimed that the recent Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) automated polls held in August 2008 was successful, it "was a mere formality" and "was not a good place to test the (automated) system."

"The ARMM as a region has a significance only when it is part of the national elections," Lagman said, noting that the region is self-ruling and its developments are but internal matters.

Another system

The Namfrel IT systems chief instead proposed the Open Elections System (OES), a Web-based solution that makes use of a portal through which the Comelec encoders can directly post election returns or transmit data via mobile phone (SMS) messaging.

It is a "hybrid" process that uses manual counting of votes at the precinct level and automated systems in the succeeding levels. This mechanism makes the election process more transparent than other technologies, Lagman said.

Under the system, election returns (ERs) will be brought to an encoding center. The ERs will then be validated then posted on the Web with the Board of Election Inspectors' digital signatures. The City/Municipality Board of Canvassers will produce the Statement of Votes and Certificate of Canvasses in an online database.

All interested parties may access the database and process the read-only data by themselves. All interested parties may likewise send text messages to poll watchers to verify the results.

Lagman said the OES system encourages transparency and public participation as ordinary citizens can play an active role in monitoring election results.

Lagman added that they are moving to make the proposal to the Comelec and to gather public support and volunteers should the system be approved.

'We Deserve Better'

The forum was entitled "We Deserve Better" and was organized to push for transparency and accountability in the government.

Automated elections is one of the key issues in governance and civic participation the movement.

"We formed the Movement for Good Governance because we felt this country deserves better. We felt that we should organize a constituency for reform which would actively work to bring about good governance," the group said in a statement.

"Some may call this naiveté but we believe it is worth trying and is possible. The status quo of traditional politics and traditional citizen action will only drag us down further," the group added. gmanews.tv

Villar tops SWS satisfaction poll

Former Senate president Manuel Villar Jr. has received the highest public satisfaction rating among top government officials in a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The quarterly survey was conducted prior to Villar’s resignation as Senate president last week.

The Third Quarter 2008 Social Weather Survey found 61 percent satisfied and 17 percent dissatisfied with the performance of Villar in the last three months.

The non-commissioned survey, conducted from Sept. 24 to 27, used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

SWS said Villar’s net satisfaction rating declined by nine points from a “very good” 52 percent in June to a “good” 43 in September.

“It has been over 40 in all but one quarter since SWS rated his performance as Senate President in September 2006,” SWS said.

The latest survey also found 58 percent satisfied and 24 percent dissatisfied with Vice President Noli de Castro, for a net rating of +34.

“Vice President De Castro’s latest net satisfaction rating is a good +34, three points down from a good +37 in June 2008,” SWS said.

“His net performance rating has been over +30 in all but three quarters since he took office four years ago.”

Meanwhile, Speaker Prospero Nograles’s rating has remained negative at -12 (24 percent satisfied and 36 percent dissatisfied).

“Nograles’s new net satisfaction rating went to poor -12 in September after hitting a record-low -15 in June,” SWS said.

“It was also a poor net -12 in March 2008, when SWS first rated his performance as Speaker of the House of Representatives.”

The survey also showed 29 percent satisfied and 33 percent dissatisfied with Chief Justice Reynato Puno, giving him a net rating of -3.

“Net satisfaction with Chief Justice Puno has remained neutral since the SWS rated his performance in March 2007. His latest net rating of -3 compares with +3 previously,” SWS said.

The SWS describes net satisfaction ratings of +50 and above as “very good,” +30 to +49 as “good,” +10 to +29 “moderate,” -9 to +9 “neutral,” -20 to -10 “poor,” -49 to -30 “bad,” and -50 or lower “very bad.”

Meanwhile, the SWS said public satisfaction with top government institutions barely changed in the latest survey.

The September survey found 46 percent satisfied and 26 percent dissatisfied with the performance of the Senate, or a moderate net +21, six points down from a moderate +27 in June 2008.

The latest survey also found 38 percent satisfied and 28 percent dissatisfied with the House of Representatives, or a moderate net +11, the same as in the previous quarter.

It found 39 percent satisfied and 30 percent dissatisfied with the performance of the Supreme Court, or a neutral net +9, just three points up from a neutral +6 in June 2008, SWS said.

The survey found 31 percent satisfied and 34 percent dissatisfied with the Cabinet, or neutral net -3, barely changing from the neutral -9 in June, SWS said.

Sampling error margins of ±2.5 percent for national percentages, ±6 percent for Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao, and ±4 percent for the rest of Luzon were applied in the survey.

At Malacañang, presidential adviser on political affairs Gabriel Claudio said yesterday it was too early to predict the chances of any one candidate in the 2010 presidential elections.

“We’re a long way from 2010, and it would be too early for anybody to rejoice,” he said. “We are all aware of how dynamic public standings can be.”

Villar tops MILF poll

In Davao City, Villar topped the presidential poll of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s official website, Luwaran.com.

Former President Joseph Estrada, who launched an all-out war against the separatists in 2000, landed at the bottom of the online poll.

The MILF website first posted the question “Who do you want to be president in 2010?” last Nov. 1 and a total of 963 voters have already clicked in their choices.

Villar garnered 242 votes or a total of 25.1 percent of the total votes in the online poll.

Vice President Noli de Castro placed second to Villar with 218 votes or 22.6 percent of the total.

Senators Panfilo Lacson and Loren Legarda were in third and fourth places with 176 and 171 votes or 18.3 percent and 17.8 percent.

Sen. Richard Gordon emerged fifth with 60 votes or 6.2 percent, while Sen. Manuel Roxas II was sixth with 51 votes or 5.3 percent.

Estrada got 45 votes or 4.7 percent of the total votes in the online poll.

It could not be ascertained if those who participated in the Luwaran.com survey were all MILF members, or if there were those who browsed the website regularly or even at random.

In a separate poll, the MILF posted the question, “Who is the Moro’s most hated Filipino leader today?” wherein voting started last Sept. 20 and ended Nov. 1.

There were at least 1,487 who replied to the online question. Cotabato Vice Gov. Emmanuel Piñol topped the list with 536 votes or 36 percent of the total.

Mrs. Arroyo emerged the second Filipino leader most hated by the Moros with 406 votes or 27.3 percent.

Estrada ranked third, with 169 votes or 11.4 percent, closely followed by Roxas with 168 votes or 11.3 percent.

Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat, who staunchly opposed the signing of the memorandum of agreement on ancestral domain, also figured in the most hated list with 74 votes or five percent.

Others in the list of Filipino leaders the Moro hated most were Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, 50 votes or 3.4 percent; Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, 19 votes or 1.3 percent;

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, 16 votes or 1.1 percent; former senator Franklin Drilon, 15 votes or 1 percent; while Press

Secretary Jesus Dureza and Cotabato Gov. Jesus Sacdalan got 12 votes each or 0.8 percent, and Makati Rep. Teddy Locsin got 10 votes or 0.7 percent. philstar.com

Cha-cha untimely due to economic crisis, 2010 polls - lawyer

MANILA, Philippines - The House public hearing and consultation on the issue of amending the 1987 Philippine Constitution drew mixed reactions from various invited political experts, with one of them saying there is no “pressing need" for such change.

GMA News' Mariz Umali reported over QTV-11's Balitanghali that among the resource persons who spoke at the hearing of the House committee on constitutional amendments were lawyer Neri Colminares, Social Sciences professor Roland Simbulan, and political scientist Jose Abueva.

The House committee gathered the political experts to determine if the 1987 Constitution needs to be changed, and how change should be done.

In his speech, Colminares said the government should first closely study and weigh in the benefits of changing the Charter, adding that such a revision would constitute a serious amount of financial expense for the government.

He said that changing the Charter would entail the passing of a plebiscite, which in the first place would require the government to spend a big amount.

The resource speaker added there is no “pressing need" as of this time to change the Constitution, describing it as “untimely." He said the government could not afford to spend some more on such a move, given the current global financial crisis plaguing national economies and the expenses that would be incurred in the upcoming May 2010 elections.

Simbulan seconded Colminares’ suggestion on deferring moves for a Charter change, saying it would only elicit “malicious" remarks from critics if the government would choose to carry out the change at this point when the administration is hounded by a number of controversies.

Simbulan also stressed that as opposed to previous suggestions, if ever Charter change is approved through Constitutional Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives should vote separately because Congress is bilateral in nature.

For his part, Abueva said there are several provisions in the current Constitution that need to be amended, and that change should be done through a Constitutional Convention.

He said the government should also decide who would compose the Constitutional Convention around the same time as the May 2010 national elections.

Earlier, committee chairman and La Union Rep. Victor Ortega had denied that his committee had previously received any resolution for a Charter change.

But in Tuesday’s public consultation, Colminares belied the La Union congressman’s claim and said House Resolution 550 authored by Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas had been filed.

In his resolution, Mandanas was asking for a term of extension for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo until June 30, 2011 and a postponement of the May 2010 polls.

While subsequently admitting the receipt of such a resolution, Ortega clarified that he and the other committee members have yet to discuss the proposed measure.

As of this posting, the public consultation continues and is expected to go on for the rest of the day. gmanews.tv

Chiz: There'll be elections in 2010

BUTUAN CITY – Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero said Charter change to extend the term of President Arroyo is already dead as far as the Senate is concerned and the presidential elections in 2010 would take place.

Escudero hinted that seven politicians, mostly from the opposition, would seek the presidency.

But if former President Joseph Estrada succeeds in his unity talks among the opposition, “then it will be narrowed down to two,” he said.

Malacañang said that it sees no reason why the 2010 national elections would not push through, adding that it had nothing to do with the efforts to amend the Constitution.

“The President has always been focused on the economy and planning how to help the people,” Presidential Management Staff Director General Cerge Remonde told radio station dzRB.

Escudero, meanwhile, asked Estrada to identify first who among the present crop of opposition leaders are genuine oppositionists before embarking into unity talks with them.

In a news conference in Surigao City, Escudero said it is important for Estrada to identify who among the current list of presidential hopefuls really belong to the opposition.

He was reacting to Estrada’s statement that he would be forced to seek the presidency in 2010 if the opposition fails to come up with a unified standard bearer.

Escudero refused to confirm if he would join the race, saying he would make a decision when he reaches the required age of 40 on Oct. 10, 2009.

As of now, Escudero said he is not yet qualified to run for president, but would make an announcement on his 40th birthday whether he would run for president or vice president.

He said though he really wants to run while he is young so that he would not be likened to an old, mature and traditional politician “who entered politics like a lamb but retired with seven horns.”

“I like to run now because if I wait until I’m older like them then I would be no different from a trapo (traditional politician),” Escudero said in Filipino.

Escudero, however, hinted that he finds it uncomfortable running, if ever, with Sen. Loren Legarda who he said is not “so opposition” because she was an administration bet in her first election to the Senate.

He said Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay of the United Opposition (UNO), who has signified his intention to seek the presidency in 2010, is the real opposition but would not make a good copycat of US President-elect Barack Obama.

“If the US elected a young president, why can’t the Philippines?” he asked.

He, however, noted the disparity between American and Filipino voters especially in terms of contributing funds to a political campaign.

Escudero said with the exception of Binay and himself, who were with the opposition from the start, other presidentiables who are in the opposition are not genuine.

He said many would like to run under the opposition banner in the 2010 elections because they would have a stronger chance of winning due to the negative popularity rating of President Arroyo.

Erap’s body language

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez yesterday said he believes Estrada’s body language shows that he is preparing to run for president in 2010.

He said Estrada “really has intentions to run and he is using this (disunity of the presidentiables) as an excuse.”

But Gonzalez said Estrada’s intention to seek the presidency anew would go against certain conditions of his executive pardon, aside from violating the constitutional provision prohibiting a former president from running again.

“So if there was such a thing (referring to one of the clauses in the executive pardon where Estrada agreed not to participate in any election in exchange for the grant of executive clemency), that could be a violation. But I don’t think we should be concerned about that. We should be concerned about what the Constitution says,” he said. philstar.com

Eleksyon sa 2010 tuloy – Nograles

MANILA – Tiniyak ni Speaker Prospero C. Nograles nitong Sabado na tuloy ang halalan sa 2010 ngunit wala umano siyang balak na pigilan ang komite sa Kamara de Representantes na talakayin ang resolusyon tungkol sa pag-amyenda sa Saligang Batas.

“There will be an election in 2010. There is no proposal to extend the term of anyone," deklara ni Nograles sa isang pahayag.

Sa kabila nito, sinabi ng lider ng Kamara na hindi niya pipigian ang House committee on constitutional amendments na talakayin ang mga resolusyon tungkol sa Charter change sa kabila ng mga pagtutol ng iba’t-ibang sektor.

“We have a Committee on Constitutional Amendments not only in the House but also the Senate precisely to handle proposals pertaining to proposed amendments on the Constitution. As long as it does not interfere with our normal legislative work and will not disrupt our 4 pm sessions, (La Union) Congressman (Victor) Ortega's committee can go ahead in considering proposals on Charter Change," Nograles said.

Kabilang ang inihaing resolusyon ni Nograles sa nakatakdang talakayin ng komite ni Ortega na naglalayong baguhin ang probisyon ng Saligang Batas upang luwagan ang batas para sa mga dayuhang namumuhunan sa bansa partikular sa pag-aari ng mga lupa.

“My resolution is purely focused on the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution. We don't want to be left behind as many investors affected by the economic crisis in the US and other countries in Europe are scrambling to look for safe haven and are shifting investments on gold, oil and minerals. Mindanao has all the potentials in these three areas of investments," ayon kay Nograles.

Binigyan-diin niya na hindi kasama sa kanyang resolusyon ang anumang plano na palawigin ang termino ng mga halal na opisyal sa pamahalaang kabilang na si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

“There is no single proposal now pending in the Ortega committee that calls for the term extension of any incumbent official," pagtiyak niya.

Idinagdag ni Nograles na kung magkaroon man ng paggalaw sa probisyong politikal sa Konstitusyon ay sesentro lamang ito sa mungkahing federal system of government na nakasaad sa resolusyon ni Sen Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

“ It is important to note that the federalism initiative came from the Senate through Senator Pimentel, a respected Mindanaoan and a prominent member of the political opposition. We may just pick from where Sen. Pimentel started," ayon sa kongresista. gmanews.tv

Villar clears Estrada in his ouster

TUBLAY, Benguet -- Senator Manuel Villar on Saturday absolved former President Joseph Estrada of any blame for his ouster as Senate president.

"Wala akong comment dyan. Si Erap ay nananatiling isa kong kaibigan, hanggang ngayon (I have no comment about that. Erap remains my friend)," he said here as guest of the town's 108th founding anniversary.

"I respect him as a friend. I have no bad feelings for him," he added.

Villar took a dig at his colleagues in the Senate using this town's cool climate.

He said: "Mabuti rito, malamig. Sa Manila mainit. Kaya maraming mainit ang ulo. Gaya sa Senado, marami ding mainit and ulo (It's good here. The climate is cool. It's hot in Manila. So many people are hot-headed, as in the Senate.)"

Villar said he will now focus on his campaign for livelihood and the welfare of overseas Filipino workers.

But in La Trinidad town, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano minced no words in saying that politics was behind Villar's ouster. Cayetano said there would be more politics and less work as the 2010 presidential election nears.

"I hope that all the 'presidentiables' would be true to their promises to work first for the people and not prioritize politics," he said. "It's only 2008."

These "presidentiables," he said, conspired to work against Villar.

"Let's accept that but let us use, at least the next year, to really focus on how we can help our country especially on the effects of the economic crisis rather than all politics," he said.

He said people expected the Senate to set aside politics and work harder after Villar's ouster and not for aspiring presidents to be training their guns on each other.

Now free of his tasks as Senate president, Villar lived up to his word to make use of his time to work on his presidential campaign.

On Saturday here, Villar retold his rags-to-riches story, the same line he used when he first ran for the Senate.

Still smarting from the Senate coup, Villar said his poor and humble beginnings and his climb to success gave him enough experience to know what the country needed to progress.

He said he harbored no ill feelings over his removal from the Senate leadership, the third highest position in the land.

"It's okay. Sa mga bagay na ganyan, sanay na tayo dyan. Marami na tayong pinagdaanan na hirap sa buhay at yung mga ganito ay sanay na tayo at tanggap na natin (We're used to these things. We've overcome hardships and we can easily accept this)," he said.

Local officials though welcomed him with a banner that addressed him as Senate president. His aides distributed cardboard fans with text explaining his anti-poverty advocacy.

He later joined provincial officials led by Governor Nestor Fongwan at the Benguet Sports Center in Wangal, La Trinidad, for the "grand cañao" (a native feast) marking the province's 108th founding anniversary and the Adivay, a cultural festival.

Villar said his life of poverty had given him enough experience to know what Filipinos need.

Later asked if his speech signaled the beginning of his presidential campaign, he said: "E, ngayon, game na. Game na game na, (Now, it's game time; I'm ready)."

"But we are more serious this time," he added.

Villar said he wanted to step up his campaign and work on his advocacy for the welfare of overseas Filipino workers since he has more time now.

"Now that I have more time, I will be visiting more often places with OFWs and I will not stop until such time that their lives would improve," he said. inquirer.net

Ouster to spur Villar bid, says ally

MANILA, Philippines—Far from being discouraged, Senator Manuel Villar’s ouster from the Senate presidency will spur him even more to pursue the presidency, according to Villar ally Gilbert Remulla.

According to Remulla, the coup that ousted Villar and ensconced Senator Juan Ponce Enrile as Senate President, was engineered by some senators who were also eyeing the presidency.

It was primarily caused by Villar’s strong showing in the most recent surveys, said Remulla, spokesperson of Villar’s Nacionalista Party.

Vice President Noli de Castro, another close friend of Villar and a possible rival in the 2010 presidential race, said that although Villar might still be nursing his wounds, he should see a silver lining amidst the gloom of his ouster.

“Now he has a lot of time to campaign,” said a chuckling De Castro.

While still in the Senate, De Castro was part of the chamber’s exclusive Wednesday Group that included Villar, and Senators Joker Arroyo, Francis Pangilinan and Ralph Recto, who is now the socio-economic planning secretary.

While Villar has announced his plans to run for President, De Castro, who is reportedly being considered to be the administration’s standard-bearer in 2010, has not made any mention of his inclination.

Both have consistently enjoyed high ratings in the polls.

De Castro, who is reportedly being paired with Batangas Governor Vilma Santos as the vice presidential candidate, said he has not received any feelers from Malacañang or the ruling Lakas-CMD.

“We have not talked politics. Even the President isn’t talking politics. We are more focused on coming up with solutions to the global crisis. It won’t be good to talk politics in the face of such a crisis,” he told reporters in Malacañang where he spoke at the Carbon Cutting Congress vs Climate Change.

De Castro said he was not thinking about the time frame for declaring his interest in running for President.

“What’s important to me is the time to serve the people because we have barely two years to serve as Vice President,” he said.

He said he doubted that the Senate coup, reportedly instigated by Senators Loren Legarda, Manuel Roxas and Panfilo Lacson, was related to the 2010 presidential elections.

“Even when I was still part of the 12th Congress, there were coups. That’s nothing extraordinary. There’s no such thing as a permanent Senate President,” he said. inquirer.net

Melo to quit if no polls in 2010

MANILA, Philippines—Jose Melo declared Thursday he will resign from the Commission on Elections if the Constitution is amended to postpone the 2010 presidential elections and the situation turns into something resembling martial law.

Melo, in an interview with the media, said there would be no need for the commission if moves to amend the Constitution and stop 2010 elections are successful.

Talk that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will not step down after her term expires in 2010 resurfaced after Press Secretary Jesus Dureza prayed for Arroyo to “have forbearance, good health, and tolerance to lead this nation until 2010, and who knows, perhaps even beyond..." at the start of a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Critics of the Arroyo administration fear that Charter change would give her and her allies the opportunity to amend provisions so she can stay on in power as prime minister in a new parliamentary set-up after her term ends.

Term extension is a “non-issue,” the Comelec chairman said. “For us, [the President's term] ends in 2010. That is according to our current system.”

When pressed by the media to comment on the possibility that there will be no elections in 2010, Melo said, "Then we will resign. We won't have anything to do because that would be like martial law.”

Despite talk that administration allies were resurrecting Charter change movement, Melo and other Comelec officials said they were confident that the 2010 presidential elections, their main preoccupation these days, will push through.

The Comelec is in the middle of organizing the 2010 presidential and national elections, where they expect around 40 million voters to elect a new batch of leaders using computerized voting machines.

The Comelec is currently studying options for automated voting systems. The poll body said automating elections would mean less cheating and faster results.

Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said advocates of Charter change would not have enough time for the bill to become a law. They would also have to gather public support for it, he said.

“We are busy preparing for the 2010 elections. Nothing can stop that,” Tagle said.

“I don't know if that can still change the Charter. They only have less than two years to do it,” he added.

If Charter change advocates call for a plebiscite, Tagle said the Comelec has no funds for a national-level vote.

“There is no budget for it. Congress should appropriate,” he explained.

He noted that the commission already has issued a resolution this week suspending all action on recall election petitions due to lack of funds.

The Comelec said the budget for recall elections currently stands at P5 million. inquirer.net

Comelec chair vows to resign if 2010 polls are postponed

MANILA, Philippines - Commission on Elections chairman Jose Melo on Thursday said he will resign his post if reported plans to amend the Constitution and postpone the 2010 elections push through.

In an interview with reporters, Melo said such a scenario would render the Comelec useless and will bring the country back to a Martial Law-like era.

“We will resign... Wala na kasi tayong gagawin kung magkaganun ang mangyari e kasi parang Martial Law na yan," Melo said.

Melo noted that his primary agenda in accepting the post as the new Comelec chair earlier this year was to ensure that the conduct of the 2010 elections will be modernized.

The Commission has started the preparation for the full automation of the 2010 national elections as it has been conducting a series of massive information campaign on changes in registration from manual to biometrics system as well as the use of automated counting machines.

It is looking to duplicate the success achieved by last August’s Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections, where the result was already known two days after.

Melo, however, expressed doubts whether the administration is keen on pursuing Charter change. “Do we have the time? And may plano nga ba talaga ngayon?" the Comelec chair asked.

Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle shared Melo's sentiment saying: “I don’t know if there is enough time pa. And sinabi na din ni (Executive Secretary Eduardo) Ermita na she (President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) will step down," Tagle said.

Melo said that as far as the Comelec is concerned, they are just focused on their preparations for the 2010 elections, which is mandated under the current system.

“Para sa amin, hanggang 2010 na lang talaga siya (President Arroyo)… That is according to our current system," Melo said.

Renewed efforts to pursue constitutional amendments escalated last Tuesday after Press Secretary Jesus Dureza uttered a controversial prayer at the beginning of a Cabinet meeting.

In the said prayer, the Palace official asked for President Arroyo to “have forbearance, good health, and tolerance to lead this nation until 2010, and who knows, perhaps even beyond."

The prayer came a day after the Senate, which has been the biggest stumbling block in transforming Congress into a Constituent Assembly, changed leadership from an opposition stalwart in Sen. Manuel Villar Jr to an administration ally in Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. gmanews.tv