Category: elections2010

Comelec chief accused of unethical behavior

Published by Ellen on September 8, 2011

I did the following article for VERA Files. It’s also in the Manila Times, TV5’s Interaksyon, and Yahoo.

The displaced director of the Commission on Elections’ Law Department has accused Chairman Sixto S. Brillantes Jr. of unethical behavior for allegedly requesting him to help absolve two Comelec officials ordered suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for approving the P690 million contract to purchase ballot secrecy folders for the 2010 elections.

Lawyer Ferdinand Rafanan, who served as head of the Comelec Law Department for three years until he was relieved on Aug. 15, said Brillantes had asked him pointblank to talk to the Ombudsman’s spokesman on how to clear Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members Maria Lea Alarkon and Allen Abaya of charges of “simple neglect of duty, simple misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.”

The irony is, it was Rafanan who had investigated the transaction and concluded an overprice.

TAF-VERA Files to launch ‘Democracy at gunpoint:election-related violence in the Philippines’

Published by Ellen on March 1, 2011

The Asia Foundation and VERA Files will be presenting their latest work, Democracy at Gunpoint: Election-Related Violence in the Philippines, on March 2 at 5 p.m. at the Magellan Room, 41/F of the Discovery Suites in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

In the 2010 elections, The Asia Foundation partnered with VERA Files in producing a series of journalistic accounts—news, features, in-depth reports on election-related violence in nine provinces that were traditionally considered as election hotspots. VERA Files consolidated the journalistic pieces into a book to provide a comprehensive, in-depth report that examines election-related violence in the Philippines.

The 212-page Democracy at Gunpoint: Election-Related Violence in the Philippines examines why election violence happens in 10 provinces known for being hotspots. While violence was the thread that stitched all provinces together, each one had particular characteristics that aggravated the problem.

“That violence still happens more than two decades after the ouster of Marcos and the restoration of democracy, and well into 21st century Philippines is cause for consternation and frustration,” wrote book editors Yvonne Chua and Luz Rimban in the preface.

Don’t buy PCOS from Smartmatic, Comelec urged

Published by Ellen on June 19, 2010

by Yvonne T. Chua VERA Files An election watchdog has this piece of advice for the Commission on Elections: Don’t buy the counting machines used…

Danny Lim and Ariel Querubin

Published by Ellen on May 4, 2010

ON Monday, when I go to the polls, top on my list for senators are Brig. Gen. Danny Lim (#28) and Col Ariel Querubin (#47).

The two have been in detention since February 2006 when they were charged with attempting to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo after the “Hello Garci” tapes exposed the use of the military in the tampering of election results in her favor in the 2004 elections.

The two said whatever is the outcome of the mutiny case against them, they would like to pursue life outside of the military. For Querubin, the chance to serve the country by being a member of the Senate is part of his giving back after he was snatched from the jaws of death in 1989.

Usapang pera

Published by Ellen on April 5, 2010

Tinawagan ko kahapon si dating congressman Prospero “Butch” Pichay tungkol sa kumakalat na tsismis na kaya daw walang pera para sa kampanya ang mga senador ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD at walang perang pambigay sa mga lokal na kandidato dahil binulsa raw niya ang pera.

Natawa lang si Pichay, na tumakbong senador noong 2007. “Nag-abono na nga ako ng P20 milyon. Tapos sabihin binulsa ko?”

Sabi ni Pichay ang kanyang assignment sa Lakas-Kampi-CMD ay mga senador. Si Local Governments Secretary Ronaldo Puno ang nag-manage ng kampanya ni presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro at Vice Presidential candidate Edu Manzano.

Sabi ni Pichay P90 milyon lang daw ang binigay sa kanya para sa anim na kandidato ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD para senador na sina: re-electionists Lito Lapid at Bong Revilla, radio broadcaster Rey Langit, dating cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Raul Lambino, at Ramon Guico, mayor ng Binalonan at presidente ng Mayor and League of Municipalities President.

Ang salot ni Gloria Arroyo

Published by Ellen on February 10, 2010

Kamakailan binatikos ni Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar ang mga kandidato nga ginagawang isyu pa rin daw ang kanyang amo na si Gloria Arroyo samantalang busy raw ngayon sa pag-aayos ng kanyang “legacy” .

Pagkatapos sirain ang lahat na institusyon pagdemokratiko para lamang maprotektahan ang sarili, gusto ni Gloria Arroyo mamahalin siya ng taumbayan? Nahihibang siya kasama na rin ang kanyang mga alagad.

At akala naman niya maniniwala ang taumbayan na hihinto na si Arroyo sa kanyang pagka-ganid sa kapangyarihan? Eh di sana hindi na tumakbo sa pagka-kongresista.

Kung magpapaloko pa ang taumbayan kay Arroyo, talagang dapat lang talaga tayong magdusa.

Isyu pa rin talaga si Arroyo ngayon kahit hindi siya kandidato sa pagka-pangulo. Kasi sa baho ni Arroyo, kung sino ang kanyang didikitan nagiging mabaho na rin. Tingnan nyo ang nangyayari ngayon kay Gilbert Teodoro, ang opisyal na kandidato ng Lakas-Kampi, partido ng administrasyon? Kahit pa maraming may gusto kay Teodoro, hindi rin talaga nila masikmura na kinakampihan niya si Arroyo.

Revilla and Jinggoy take the lead in latest Pulse Asia survey

Published by Ellen on February 6, 2010

Pulse Asia’s score card based ontheir Jan 22 – 26 nationawide survey among 1,800 respondents with a +/-2 margin.
The top 12:
1. Bong Revilla
2. Jinggoy Estrada
3. Pia Cayetano
4. Frank Drilon
5. Miriam Santiago
6. Juan Ponce Enrile
7. Ralph Recto
8. Serge Osmeña
9. Tito Sotto
10. Lito Lapid
11. Bongbong Marcos
12. Joey de Venecia

Currently leading the senatorial race is Senator Revilla whose overall voter preference of 51.9% translates to a statistical ranking of 1st to 2nd places, putting him in a virtual tie with Senator Estrada (50.4%), who is ranked 1st to 3rd. Meanwhile, Senator Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano (46.8%) is ranked 2nd to 4th, slightly ahead of former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon (43.2%) who ranks 3rd to 6th. Tied from 4th to 6th places are Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago (41.2%) and incumbent Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (39.7%).

Aquino lead over Villar down to 7% in latest SWS poll

Published by Ellen on February 1, 2010

Highlights of SWS survey conducted last Jan. 21 -24 commissioned by Businessworld:

• Aquino lead over Villar down to 7 per cent
• Roxas widens lead over Legarda by 21 points; Binay improves numbers
• Revilla,Estrada, Cayetano, Defensor-Santiago post early lead in Senate race

Villar gains ground versus Aquino … while Erap stays in third

Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino III remains the top pick among the 10 presidential aspirants green-lighted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) but the Nationalista Party’s (NP) Sen. Manuel “Manny” B. Villar appears to be fast catching up.

With the campaign period yet to officially start, a new BusinessWorld-Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found 42% of respondents saying they would vote for Mr. Aquino, four points down from the 46% who said so in an early December poll that was also commissioned by this newspaper.

Over the period Mr. Villar, Mr. Aquino’s top challenger, picked up eight points to secure the nod of 35%, up from 27%.

Bikers pedal vs cervical cancer

Published by Ellen on January 28, 2010

There’s no letting up for “Tour of Hope” bikers in informing the public that there is a way to defeat cervical cancer.

If last Wednesday’s launch is to be an indication of this year’s Tour of Hope, participants are in for an exciting, enjoyable, meaningful cycling event once again come March.

Tour of Hope is a cycling event which aims to increase awareness of cervical cancer premised on the belief that being informed is being armed and empowered to fight the disease which is the second most common cancer worldwide (first is breast cancer).

This year’s Tour of Hope which has adopted the theme “Fighting Cervical cancer in Full Circle” will traverse Tarlac, Dagupan, La Union, Dagupan and Baguio on March 20 to 24.

A conspiracy to continue illegitimate governance

Published by Ellen on January 26, 2010

Gloria Arroyo must be the happiest person today.

While the people are pre-occupied watching the Senate circus and other political entertainment, she is laying down the infrastructure for what looks like her last try to stay in power beyond 2010.

The group that calls themselves Former Senior Government Officials (FSGO) has information of a sinister plot by Arroyo and her allies that will spell the death of democracy in this country.

The FSGO issued a statement that warns of “A Conspiracy to Continue Illegitimate Governance.” Let it not be said that we were not warned: