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Posts tagged 2010 presidential bid
Villar’s 20-peso handouts to kids may be ‘vote-buying’
Feb 27th
Handing out money to children “may be considered" vote buying, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said, hours after Nacionalista Party (NP) standard bearer Senator Manuel Villar gave Php 20 bills to kids while on a campaign sortie in Batangas province.
The act “may be considered" vote-buying, Comelec Law Department Head Ferdinand Rafanan told GMANews.TV, citing the Omnibus Election Code.
Under Article 12, Section 261 of the code, vote buying constitutes the act of giving, offering, or promising money or anything of value, including promises of “employment, franchise or grant, public or private."
Vote-buying also involves making or offering to incur expenses that will, directly or indirectly, benefit a person, association, corporation, entity, or community “to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party."
This developed a day after the NP candidates violated a military regulation against campaigning inside camps when they held a unity walk and raised each other’s hands inside Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday.
“Senator Villar and members of his party made a unity walk and raised the hands of their candidates. [AFP chief General Victor Ibrado] instructed that the group of Senator Villar be warned against repeating such actions when they visit Colonel [Ariel] Querubin in the future," Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public information office chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said in a press statement released shortly after the visit.
But the NP candidates said that they didn’t campaign at the military camp and were merely showing support for Col. Ariel Querubin, the party’s detained senatorial bet.
In the meantime, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said he is unable to determine whether giving kids money would constitute vote buying because the recipients are not of voting age, he told GMANews.TV in a text message.
Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento likewise admitted that the provision was too "vague."
"Di naman sinasabi na voting age, pwedeng sabihin na mga bata naman yan," he told GMANews.TV in an interview.
(It didn’t say that the person should be of voting age, so they can say that it’s okay to give children money because they can’t vote),"
He did say however that giving children money might influence people close to them to vote for a candidate.
"By inducing the parents through the children, pwedeng pumasok doon (that can still fall under that provision)," he said.
“Sinuman ang magbibigay ng pera or anything of value para paboran ang isang kandidato will be considered as vote-buying. This applies to everyone," he added.
(Whoever gives money or anything of value to favor a candidate will be considered vote-buying.)
Giving out scholarships to students might also be considered vote buying because he is giving something of "value" to someone, Sarmiento said.
The commissioner thus advised the public to file a complaint so that they can investigate such cases.
"The Comelec and the public should work together, kung may report na ganyan, dapat tumindig yung mga tao," he said.
(If there are reports like that, the people should make a stand and report them.)
Thousands jam to different tunes at LP, Villar concerts
Feb 26th
MANILA, Philippines – Thousands of people turned out at separate concerts staged by the Liberal Party (LP) and the campaign of Nacionalista Party (NP) standard bearer Manuel Villar on Thursday.
Villar’s concert for his supporters finally pushed through, after it was reportedly delayed due to tropical storm Ondoy back in September. However, before the concert, for the first time since the NP ticket was completed in November, the party’s candidates got to be with detained former Marines Col. Ariel Querubin.
NP standard bearer Manny Villar said he is grateful they were allowed to visit Querubin, saying they will continue to work for his release.
Querubin is under court martial proceedings, following the 2006 Marines standoff in Fort Bonifacio, Makati.
"Ang aming hangarin ay makalabas siya. Gagawin namin ang lahat para mabigyan siya ng pagkakataon na makakampanya at masabi mga plataporma at adhikain niya sa bayan," Villar said.
The military, however, criticized Villar’s group for allegedly campaigning inside Camp Aguinaldo. The Armed Forces prohibits political activity in all its camps.
The military said the NP violated this policy when the candidates staged a unity walk, and rode vehicles that had campaign posters.
The military warned the NP not to repeat the incident.
From Camp Aguinaldo, the NP ticket proceeded to the party’s concert at the Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City.
The concert, titled "Wowowillie meets Rockatropa," was originally scheduled on September 26, but was reportedly moved to February, after tropical storm Ondoy hit the country that day.
Villar denied speculation ‘Rockatropa’ pushed through on Thursday to match the EDSA I commemoration program of LP.
"Matagal na ‘yong Rockatropa. Matagal na ‘yon. Wala kaming tinatapatan. Baka kami ang tinapatan," he said.
More than 20,000 people showed up at the NP concert, where Villar handed out scholarships and prizes, to attract the youth vote.
Villar most trusted presidential bet
Feb 25th
MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Manny Villar Jr. is the most trusted presidential candidate in the May 10 elections, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey.
Villar received a 70-percent majority trust rating in Pulse Asia’s January 2010 Pre-Election Survey conducted from Jan. 22 to 26, while Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was a close second with 64 percent.
Former President Joseph Estrada posted practically the same trust and distrust ratings (33 percent versus 37 percent) while public assessment of the trustworthiness of former Defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. – the administration bet – is divided, with 36 percent of Filipinos ambivalent on the matter, 32 percent trusting him, and 31 percent distrusting him.
Sen. Richard Gordon had a 26-percent trust rating against 32 percent who distrusted him.
Other presidential aspirants posted “near to small majority” distrust ratings – Sen. Jamby Madrigal (47 percent), Olongapo City Councilor JC de los Reyes (50 percent), Kilusang Bagong Lipunan bet Vetallano Acosta (51 percent), evangelist Eddie Villanueva (53 percent), and environmentalist Nicanor Perlas (54 percent).
Sen. Manuel Roxas II took the top spot as far as those running for vice-president is concerned, with a 73-percent trust rating.
Sen. Loren Legarda lags behind at 61 percent, the Pulse Asia survey showed.
Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay received a “big plurality” with 44 percent.
On the other hand, “big pluralities to small majorities” distrust the other vice-presidential candidates in the May 2010 elections – former Optical Media Board (OMB) chairman Edu Manzano (45 percent), former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando (46 percent), Ang Kapatiran bet Dominador Chipeco Jr. (52 percent), broadcaster Jay Sonza (57 percent), and former Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairperson Perfecto Yasay Jr. (58 percent).
Pulse Asia said not one of the 13 presidential and vice-presidential candidates trust-rated in Pulse Asia’s December 2009 and January 2010 pre-election surveys experienced an improvement in his/her overall trust rating.
Instead, public trust in three candidates became less pronounced during this period – Legarda (-6 percentage points), Manzano (-7 percentage points), and Aquino (-8 percentage points).
Four candidates recorded higher distrust ratings in January 2010 compared to the previous month. They were Legarda, (17 percent versus 11 percent), Binay (26 percent versus 21 percent), Manzano, (45 percent versus 36 percent), and Villanueva (53 percent versus 47 percent).
Noynoy regains lead over Villar in new survey
Feb 20th
MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III has regained the lead over Sen. Manuel Villar in the latest presidential survey conducted January 28-February 3 by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS).
According to the TNS survey obtained by ABS-CBN News’ Ces Oreña Drilon, Aquino was chosen by 41.54% of 3,000 respondents while Villar was picked by 30.63%.
TNS is a global market research firm with an office in the Philippines.
Aquino and Villar were statistically tied in a Pulse Asia survey conducted from January 22 -26, or around a week before the TNS survey, with the Liberal Party bet garnering 37% and the Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer getting 35%. (Read: Aquino, Villar tied in Pulse Asia survey)
Third in the Jan. 28-Feb. 3 TNS survey was former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) with 11.66%, statistically the same as in the last Pulse Asia survey where he got 12%.
Administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD was fourth with 5.21%, the same as in the last Pulse Asia survey.
Bro. Eddie Villaneuva got 2%, Senator Richard Gordon got 1.7%, Senator Jamby Madrigal got 0.22%, also statistically the same as what they received in the January 22 to 26 Pulse Asia survey.
The TNS survey was done around a week after a heated controversy over Villar’s ethics case erupted in the Senate, which could be one reason for the changes in the ratings of the two leading presidential candidates.
The Senate committee of the whole’s report accusing Villar of unethical conduct in connection with the C-5 road extension project was taken up during the plenary on January 25. The committee had ordered him to return over P6 billion in government funds that were allegedly wasted for the project. (Read: Senators clash in plenary over Villar ethics case)
On January 26, Senate President Enrile also accused Villar of trying to bribe him to change his stand on the issue. (Read: Enrile claims Villar tried to buy him off)
The Senate, however, failed to act on the report after Villar’s supporters failed to show up on the last session day of the 14th Congress.