Category: Election 2007

Jailed Filipino likely to be a senator

By Paul Watson and Sol Vanzi, Special to The Times
June 13, 2007

FORT BONIFACIO, PHILIPPINES — In the annals of political comebacks, Antonio Trillanes’ must rank among the most unlikely. After campaigning from a cramped cell in a marine brig, the alleged coup leader is poised to win a Senate seat.

Four years ago as a navy lieutenant, Trillanes allegedly led more than 300 troops against the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Last month, he ran for the Senate as a prisoner held at the headquarters of the Philippine marine corps.

by Victor Reyes
Malaya

The military survey, in Conrado de Quiroz’ column

THE military is conducting a survey to determine if its officers and men have negative sentiments on the likely senatorial victory of mutiny leader Antonio Trillanes IV.

The announced reason: The military leadership wants to determine if there are “dissenting opinions” because these could trigger “rumblings within the organization,” Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, chief of the AFP public information office, said yesterday.

Trillanes, a Navy senior grade lieutenant when he led the Oakwood mutiny in July 2003, is in 11th place in the official senatorial tally with almost 11 million votes but has yet to be proclaimed.

Re-electionist Sen. Ralph Recto on Monday followed in the footsteps of fellow Team Unity candidate Michael Defensor and acknowledged his defeat in the Senate race.

“For me, this is the time to accept the will of the people,” Recto said in a privilege speech during a Senate session Monday afternoon. Click here for the rest of the story.

Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos, meanwhile said, they will proclaim on Wednesday the top ten winners in the senatorial race. They are, Loren Legarda (GO), Francis Escudero (GO), Panfilo Lacson (GO), Manuel Villar (GO), Francis Pangilinan (IND), Benigno Aquino, Jr. (GO), Edgardo Angara (TU), Alan Peter Cayetano (GO), Joker Arroyo (TU), Gregorio Honasan (IND).

From ABS-CBN:Pacquiao withdraws millions from banks

by Jun Vallecera

Business Mirror

A locally-based thrift bank and two branches of regular commercial banks based in Manila are having difficulties servicing their clients panicked by the sudden withdrawal of most of the deposits of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

Informed sources said Pacquiao withdrew all his money from a bank in General Santos City as he conducted a personal audit and found he spent more than P140 million in election-related expenses but was still trounced by his diminutive political opponent.

Latest from Trillanes camp at 1 p.m., June 4, 2007:

With the Comelec total count as of June 1 as basis and with the available data we already have for Basilan, Lanao Sur and Norte, Sultan Kudarat, Surigao Norte, Caloocan City and North Cotabato, ecluging only Maguindanao where we don’t have current data, Trillanes is safe at no. 11 with 11,056,608 votes.

He is over Pimentel , number 12, by 232, 794, Zubiri, number 13 by 360,234 and Recto, no, 14 by 646,152.

Even if Trillanes gets zero in Maguindanao which has 337,108 registered voters he is still no. 11 or worse no, 12.

We are confident that even with O vote in Maguindanao, we still lead Zubiri by 300,000 votes.

Hope springs eternal for Goria Arroyo’s Team Unity Miguel Zubiri and Ralph Recto.

Which makes one wonder, are they up to something? Will they be doing more COC buying? Would Recto summon the turtles who voted for him in 2001 to crawl and be counted again? Or is it just the operators’ (Gabby Claudio, Relli German, Ben Evardone, Tonypet Albano) hollow cry to justify the million, possibly billions, that they spent. Or supposedly spent.

Inquirer’s report: Facing defeat in the senatorial race, the administration’s Team Unity (TU) is pinning its hopes on less than two million votes from six provinces in Mindanao that have yet to be canvassed to push Miguel Zubiri and Ralph Recto into the Magic 12.

The Concerned Citizens Group and Kontra-Daya are not putting their guard down. Not until the 12 ,whom the people truly voted for the Senate, have been proclaimed.

Yesterday, they held a mass outside the PICC, where the national canvassing is being held.

Last Wednesday, they held a rally outside the PICC. There was a scuffle at the start of the rally when the police hosed down the rallyists.

Here are some photos:

Mass for the Nation

Hosed down but unbowed and raring

Photo captions: