Category: Election 2007

by JB Baylon
Malaya

Yesterday I read a news report that said that Namfrel and the CBCP were teaming up to do another quick-count. Immediately, I was seized by a feeling of disbelief, if not disgust. Namfrel, doing another quick count?

Does that mean that people still trust Namfrel?

Frankly, I’ve lost whatever respect I have had left of Namfrel as an independent, quick-count organization. The last straw was Namfrel chair Joe Concepcion insisting that there was no cheating in the 2004 elections or, as I suspect he will say now, no cheating on a scale massive enough to bring into question the over-all results. This, despite the taped voices that anyone trying to avoid a lawsuit would say “sounds like” the voices of the incumbent president and a non-disgraced elections commissioner, and despite the very obvious cover-up that started with the now-infamous “I have two discs” performance of Ignacio Bunye (who, in that one fell swoop damaged his credibility beyond the after-life).

Hindi ito joke. Ito ay tunay na pangyayari:

Sa Shoptalk noong Lunes:

Tinanong ni Pia Hontiveros si Jamalul Kiram III, kandidato ng administrasyon para senador kung paano siya nasali. Sabi niya, “I volunteered.”

Tinanong ni Pia, paano at kailan. Hindi na ngayon malaman ni Kiram kung ano ang sagot. Sabi niya, “I did not volunteer.”

Sabi ni Pia, kasasabi lang ninyo na nag-volunteer kayo. Sabi ni Kiram na parang ina-antok, “Okay I said I did, but I’m taking it back.

Despite obvious indications that Joselito Pepito Cayetano is a nuisance candidate out to ruin all “Cayetano” votes for Alan Peter Cayetano, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos said they cannot disqualify the former because he was sponsored by a Comelec-registered party, Kilusan ng Bagong Lipunan.

Alan didn’t mince words and attributed to Mike Arroyo the dirty tricks.

The Malacañang connection is bolstered by the statement by presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol that between Joselito and Alan, it could even be Alan who is a nuisance candidate because Joselito filed ahead of Alan.

Last Monday Navy Lt (s.g) Antonio Trillanes asked permission from the Makati Regional Trial Court to be allowed to grant media interviews. The DOJ is opposing it. Click here.

Meanwhile,the Magdalo Group has launched an online campaign for Trillanes in defiance of an earlier warning by the military leadership against engaging in partisan political activity.

Click to www.magdaloparasapagbabago.blogspot.com

Press Secretary Bunye’s line was Gloria Arroyo will be ‘concentrating on governance’ so she won’t be joining the administration’s senatorial candidates in their campaign. Of course, that’s their ploy to deflect the real issue in this election which is Gloria Arroyo. Even her senatorial candidates are ashamed of her.

Here’s Malaya’s story:

TEAM Unity senatorial candidates have asked President Arroyo to distance herself from their campaign sorties so as not to doom their chances of winning, Malacañang sources said yesterday.

The sources said former presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor, the only former Cabinet member running in the administration senatorial ticket, was tapped as messenger by his fellow candidate.

Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao today said he is determined to enter politics in this coming May elections.

Pacquiao will contest the congressional seat currently held by Darlene Antonino-Custodio in the first district of South Cotabato.

Update: Custodio unfazed by Pacquiao’s planned candidacy.
The 24-year old Custodio has made a mark in the House of Representatives for actively participating in the impeachment complaints against Gloria Arroyo and in opposing the Con-Ass railroaded by the House majority last December.

Click here for a better picture of Darlene Custodio.