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Estrada dares DND chief to name, arrest cheaters 05/02/2010

Sunday, May 2, 2010

GONZALES SHOULD PUT UP OR SHUT UP

Estrada dares DND chief to name, arrest cheaters


05/02/2010

Former President Joseph Estrada, standard bearer of opposition Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), put to task Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales in naming and possibly arresting individuals who he said are attempting to bribe officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) as part of efforts to cheat in the May 10 elections.

Gonzales told reporters last Thursday that cheating operations have begun but did not give out names of those who are supposedly behind it. 

“Those proven to be involved in cheating should immediately be arrested and thrown into jail,” Estrada told reporters.

Estrada said Gonzales as Secretary of Defense has the responsibility to help in ensuring clean and credible elections.
Estrada added that Gonzales should stop making statements that he cannot back up with actions as he only succeds in spreading fear among Filipinos over the specter of a failed elections.

“Gonzales’ warning doesn’t help. It creates fear among the people. The people get more afraid because of his statements,” Estrada said.... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100502hed1.html


Comelec pressed to probe unverified poll complaints By Aytch S. de la Cruz 05/02/2010

Comelec pressed to probe unverified poll complaints


By Aytch S. de la Cruz
05/02/2010

A poll watchdog, said to have been accredited by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), yesterday called on poll body officials to investigate even anonymous complaints on poll-related irregularities.

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente), through one of its convenors, in yesterday’s Kahipan sa Sulo media forum in Quezon City, said that the group also hopes to have a meeting with the Comelec soon. 

The group hopes to meet with Comelec commissioners to follow up on its proposal for the poll body to probe into anonymous complaints on such irregularities that are expected to occur during the May 10, 2010 polls.

“We feel the agency is sufficiently empowered under our laws and the Constitution to receive anonymous complaints based on credible evidence,” lawyer and co-convenor Carlos Medina said, adding that Comelec should adopt the same system implemented at the Office of the Ombudsman, which accommodates anonymous complaints to give more whistle-blowers the opportunity to provide the poll body leads on poll-related irregularities.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20100502hed3.html


Manila finally ratifies regional pact vs terrorism 05/02/2010

Manila finally ratifies regional pact vs terrorism


05/02/2010

After three years, the Philippines has finally acceded to a long-delayed regional convention against terrorism, making it the third Southeast Asian nation to ratify the document after Singapore and Thailand.

With this development, the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) Convention on Counter-Terrorism (ACCT) took another step toward becoming a regional treaty after its ratification by Manila in late March.
The ACCT would be elevated to become a regional treaty once it has received ratification from at least six Asean Member States.

The Philippines’ Instrument of Ratification to the Convention was signed by President Arroyo last March 24 and was deposited with the Secretary General of the Asean last April 21.

The ACCT was signed by the Asean leaders at the 12th summit held in Cebu on Jan. 13, 2007.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20100502nat3.html


Don’t count your eggs yet EDITORIAL 05/02/2010

Don’t count your eggs yet



EDITORIAL
Click to enlarge
05/02/2010

Liberal Party presidential bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino seems cocksure of a landslide victory in the elections a week from now as the LP extrapolated, based on the last Pulse Asia survey, showing him having a 39 percent preference to lead rivals Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard bearer Joseph Estrada and Nacionalista Party (NP) candidate Manuel Villar Jr., who were tied with a 20 percent preference.
The LP in a press statement after the survey was publicized, estimated that Noynoy would clinch the presidency with a lead of something like eight million votes from his closest rival.

Noynoy may have picked up on the results of the surveys to also declare to the world through a foreign media interview that the only way he will lose the elections is if he is cheated and that he will lead another people power revolt if that happens.

The survey results of the two pollsters, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) and Pulse Asia, while appearing always tilted toward favoring Aquino and showing a solid and unassailable base remain a mere estimate, a guesswork and a highly paid one, based on not more than 3,000 individuals at most.... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100502com1.html


Give it to Gibo ENQUIRY Demaree J. B. Raval 05/02/2010

Give it to Gibo



ENQUIRY
Demaree J. B. Raval
05/02/2010

Last Wednesday, while practically scouring the length and breadth of Nepa-Q Mart to look for the best items my limited money could buy (Ilocano ngamin!), I decided to conduct a little survey. As I haggled for the best bangus for my buck, I simultaneously asked the vendors who their choice for president would be. And, not surprisingly, six out of every 10 vendors I asked answered me in this wise: “Si Gibo talaga ang gusto ko, pero huwag na lang. Sabi kasi ng mga survey matatalo naman siya.”

In other words, why vote for a good candidate when he will lose anyway?

That is exactly our beef against the so-called surveys. They coax voters who they should vote for, playing up on the voters’ subliminal desire to identify themselves with the eventual winner. They’re actually a form of political hypnotism, where the audience (the rest of the voters out there) believe what they see unfolding before their very eyes (the survey results). 

As positioned by the surveys, the leader of the pack or the one within striking distance of winning invariably gets the vote on election day because of this mass hypnosis, as it were.... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100502com3.html


It ain’t over — not by a long mile FRONTLINE Ninez Cacho-Olivares 05/02/2010

It ain’t over — not by a long mile



FRONTLINE
Ninez Cacho-Olivares
05/02/2010
Noynoy Aquino says he won’t fall into a trap by replying to the many accusations against him, especially on questions raised about his mental health.

Truth is, neither Noynoy Aquino nor his spokesmen really answered any of the allegations leveled against him, whether it is the Hacienda Luisita issue, the diversion of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, his do-nothing record in his 11 years as a legislator, his lack of managerial and administrative experience, or even his record as a salesman of Nike shoes and as manager of the hacienda, where big losses were incurred. And of course his alleged mental disorder.

All he and his spokesmen do is to deny the charges, aided greatly by their yellow media that always make sure to put him in the best light.

Yet he and his Liberal Party (LP) supporters are quick to demand explanations when charges are leveled against his political rivals when they deny these charges. So why the double standard? What makes them think that a denial is sufficient explanation when it comes to Noynoy, but not sufficient for the others?... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100502com2.html


Hogwash BLURBAL THRUSTS Louie Logarta 05/02/2010

Hogwash



BLURBAL THRUSTS
Louie Logarta
05/02/2010

Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) officials are in a bind, as in caught between a rock and a hard place. A damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t situation.

By steadfastly refusing to enlighten the Filipino people about that stunt pulled off in mid-2007 by Sen. Manny Villar, presidential bet of the Nacionalista Party, wherein he allegedly pressured the PSE board to skirt its rules in enforcing a 180-day lock-up period for about 30 percent of the 5.3 billion shares he held in Vista Land & Lifescapes Inc. to enable him to cash in on the bullish market during the Initial Public Offering (IPO), they are giving the public the impression that indeed something fishy had occurred.

On the other hand, if they opt to divulge the details of the transaction which allegedly enabled Senator Villar and wife Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia Villar to amass an obscene profit of at least P6.5 billion at the expense of unsuspecting investors, they would be construed as violating the code of silence that has been one of the hallmarks of business dealings in the local bourse for as far back as can be remembered. A no-no insofar as the Old Boy network in the PSE is concerned.... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100502com4.html


Motherhood statements TABLETS OF STONE Larry Faraon, OP 05/02/2010

Motherhood statements



TABLETS OF STONE
Larry Faraon, OP
05/02/2010

It is so pathetic to see Sen. Manny Villar’s Nanay Curing holding a news conference of her own in order to let out the emotional steam she has been keeping to herself as she watches her favorite son being manhandled by his detractors and the multi-media that highlight such mudslinging.

Overall, the idea of Mrs. Villar coming to her son’s rescue may not seem palatable, especially at this point when almost everything, even real emotional sentiments and drenched sobs are suspected to be political propaganda or consequential desperate acts. 

It did not, however, help much in stepping on the brakes of the wayward downward ratings trend of the multi-billionaire presidential candidate now statistically tied with President Joseph Estrada in the second place..... MORE  

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100502com5.html


National elections — a national headache VIEWPOINTS Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz 05/02/2010

National elections — a national headache



VIEWPOINTS
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz
05/02/2010
There are so many questions and reservations. These are even compounded by many worries and fears. These are further aggravated by some panic and hysteria even. All these mental uncertainties and emotional anxieties come from the general public, the electorate in particular. On the other hand: Everything is 100 percent ready. Nothing is left to chance. The machines needed plus the men and women tasked to run them are ready and prepared. The voters have be told what to do. All these pieces of good news in turn are proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). But it is still good to note that all contradictory factors notwithstanding, that there are still some people who have their fingers merely crossed and who are simply hoping for the best.

One thing is certain though: Between the extremes of election bliss and dread, there are much more Filipinos suffering from anxiety than those rejoicing in expectancy.... MORE


Flatulent orange superhero has a blast in British poll focus 05/02/2010

Flatulent orange superhero has a blast in British poll



focus

05/02/2010

PORT TALBOT — Captain Beany, a lurid orange baked bean superhero, hopes to blow a wind of change through parliament at Britain’s imminent general election.

The reigning Greatest British Eccentric, who zooms about in a cape and x-ray laser specs, reckons voters are sick of politicians — and need a flatulent superhero to sort them out.
Beany — born Barry Kirk, 55 years old and a former computer operator — is a man-sized baked bean: The tinned haricot beans in tomato sauce beloved by Britons and reputed to induce wind.
He is standing in his home constituency of Aberavon — “the posh name for Port Talbot,” as he puts it, and a staunch Labour-voting area.
The struggling steelworks town on the south Wales coast, home of actors Richard Burton and Anthony Hopkins, was brought to life in style as the zany local celebrity launched his bid to become the town’s MP..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100502com7.html

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