Erap showcases mass appeal in final sortie in Tondo : ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV

In his final sortie for the upcoming May polls, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino standard-bearer former President Joseph Estrada had one message: “Akin ang Tondo." (Tondo is mine.)

Showing that he still has the common touch, Estrada and the rest of his party held on Saturday night their miting de avance in Tondo, Manila—traditionally one of the poorest areas in the country’s capital city, with its foreshore areas home to urban informal settlers from the post-World War II period onwards.



Estrada said during the evening rally that he personally chose Tondo as the venue for his party’s final sortie since it is his birthplace and the starting point of his career as an actor.

“Ito po ay Tondo. Dito po ako ipinanganak sa Tondo, kaya mahal na mahal ko po ang Tondo. Ang Tondo po ang nagpasikat sa akin bilang artista (This is Tondo. I was born here in Tondo, and so it’s very close to my heart. It was Tondo that made me into a popular actor)," he said in his speech before a jampacked Plaza Hernandez in front of Tondo’s Sto. Nino church.

Estrada, who was ousted from the presidency in 2001 through a popular mass uprising, appealed to the residents of Tondo to give him the chance to finish his “pro-poor" platforms.

“Ako lang po ang inyong naging pangulo na talagang kandidato ng masang Pilipino… Hindi niyo po ako iniwan kaya hindi ko rin kayo iiwan (I’m the only President you’ve had who was truly the candidate of the Filipino masses… You didn’t abandon me, and so I also wouldn’t abandon you)," he said.

Present during the sortie were PMP’s vice-presidential bet, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, and senatorial aspirants Senator Jinggoy Estrada, JV Bautista, Francisco Tatad, Jun Lozada and Jose de Venecia III.

Manila mayoral candidate Lito Atienza and vice-mayoral aspirant councilor Bonjay Isip-Garcia were also present during the miting de avance

Tirades

In his own speech during the same final rally, Binay launched tirades against his closest rival, Liberal Party vice-presidential bet Manuel Roxas II.

Binay insisted that Roxas is not a real opposition candidate, having been part of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Cabinet.

“Siya ang unang Cabinet member na nang-iwan kay Erap at lumipat sa panig ni Gloria Arroyo… Mar Roxas, magpakalalaki ka naman! (He was the first Cabinet member who abandoned Erap and moved to Gloria Arroyo’s camp… Mar Roxas, act for once like a real man!)" he said in his speech.

Binay also accused Roxas on banking on the popularity of his running mate, Senator Benigno Aquino III, who continues to lead in various presidential preference surveys.

“Bakit palagi kang nakakapit sa palda ng iyong kandidato? Hindi mo ba kayang lumabang mag-isa? (Why do you always hold on to the skirt of your running mate? Are you incapable of fighting alone?)," he said.

A survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) in early May showed Binay and Roxas tied as top contenders for the country’s second highest post.

The PMP vice-presidential aspirant also maintained that his party is the only true opposition vying for seats in the May polls.

“Ang PMP lang ang tunay na oposisyon. ‘Yung mga nagpapanggap na oposisyon, mga peke po iyan (Only the PMP is the real opposition. Those who pretend to be part of the opposition, those are fake)," he said.

Despite his carrying the PMP banner, Binay in fact stated his party affiliation as PDP-Laban when he filed his certificate of candidacy for vice-president last year.

Erap country?

Some Tondo residents insist that their district is still “Erap country" despite the fact that another presidential aspirant, Senator Manuel Villar Jr., claim strong support in the area which was also his birthplace.

Villar, who is the Nacionalista Party standard bearer, has apparently lost some ground in the most recent SWS survey by sliding into third place, while Estrada has replaced him at second place.

This last-minute surge has revived hopes among many of Estrada’s followers that their idol indeed has a fighting chance to regain the Presidency.

Housewife Carmelita Gabion said she wants Estrada back in Malacanang because she believes the former president is what the country needs at present.

“Gusto ko si Erap dahil mabait siya. Kailangan siya ng masa ngayon. Mananalo iyang si Erap (I like Erap because he’s kind. The masses need him now. Erap will win)," she said while wearing Estrada’s trademark orange wristband.

For 56-year-old vendor Myrna Hipoloto, Tondo is and always has been a bulwark of support for Estrada.

“Sana nga manalo siya. Maraming may gusto sa kanya, lalo na dito sa Tondo. Hawak ni Erap ang Tondo (We do hope he wins. We are many who like him, especially here in Tondo. Erap owns Tondo)," she said.—JV, GMANews.TV

It's final: Erap can run

It’s final: former President Joseph Estrada can run again for president.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday affirmed a previous decision allowing the former chief executive to join the May 10 presidential elections.
The poll body, on the other hand, upheld the disqualification of actor Richard Gomez and Abraham Khali Mitra in the congressional races in Leyte’s fourth district and Palawan’s second district, respectively. It dismissed for lack of merit the disqualification case filed by former Caloocan City mayor Luis Asistio against incumbent Mayor Enrico Echiverri.
In a five-page resolution, the Comelec denied the disqualification case filed by lawyer Evelio Formento against Estrada for lack of merit.
The commission said Formento failed to present any new and sufficient argument to make it take a second look into the complaint.
In a separate concurring opinion, Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said the 1987 Constitution did not tackle whether an elected president who did not finish his term may run again for the same position.
“What is only clear is that an elected president who has served his six-year term is forever prohibited from running in the same office. Therefore, Estrada is eligible to run for the presidency this May 10 automated elections,” Sarmiento said.
Estrada lauded the Comelec for removing the stumbling block on his second bid for the presidency.
His spokeswoman, Margaux Salcedo, said the Comelec decision puts to rest doubts on Estrada’s qualifications as a presidential candidate.
Formento, meantime, informed the Comelec that he would file a motion for certiorari before the Supreme Court.
Formento argued that the former president has been convicted and is therefore not qualified to run for any public office.
But the Comelec’s Second Division junked Formento’s disqualification case against Estrada and said the people should be allowed to decide who would be the country’s next president.

It ain’t over — not by a long mile

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?

What Noynoy and his yellows may not realize is that his refusal to answer these charges, or even accept challenges from many quarters to prove their allegations wrong, may just be hurting him and his candidacy.

He and his yellows, so filled with hubris in the belief that, due to his high survey score, already has the presidency in the bag, to the point of Noynoy threatening to unleash people power even worse than Thailand’s civil unrest caused by the month-long Red Shirts protesters, should he be cheated, since he says that the only thing that would make him lose the presidency is that he will be cheated out of his victory.

Such a position taken by Noynoy and his yellows make him a very dangerous person as he is fast proving himself to be someone who believes in vengeful destruction — to the point of not caring whether Filipinos are killed or injured — as long as he gets his way — and that is his presidency.

He and his yellows may think that, when they create trouble — and through a people power revolt — the Filipinos will rally round their call. They may have another think coming. They do not have the masses behind them, apart from which, Filipinos are tired of public uprisings. In short, Filipinos are suffering from people power fatigue.

This is borne out by the fact that instead of rallying round the protesters in 2006 at Edsa, over the “Hello Garci” tapes exposé, which had Gloria Arroyo caught on tape talking to then poll commissioner Virgilio “Garci” Garcillano to pad her votes, and subtract from the votes of the then opposition standard bearer, Fernando Poe Jr., the “people power” revolt fizzled out. First because the military that the protesters were banking on to join them, didn’t appear and second, but most important, the Filipinos preferred a more peaceful way of getting rid of Gloria — through the ballot during the 2007 senatorial elections as a loud protest as the opposition senatorial bets were swept to victory, and again, in 2010, through the presidential polls.

Gloria is no longer a candidate for the presidency. While many still dislike her immensely, she really is no longer the issue, as she is stepping out of Malacañang.

Noynoy and his yellows appear to believe that to keep blasting away at Gloria would do the trick for him, but this hasn’t worked, even if they go by their surveys, since Noynoy’s scores have remained static for months.

Noynoy and his yellows, who, long before the polls open, are already popping the bubbly, with their basis for victory the survey ratings, which are pretty dubious.

Still and all, as he remains silent over the allegations of his mental health, his hacienda and SCTex issues and his clear inability to lead the country, he may just be seen as evading the issue, because these allegations leveled against him may well have more than a grain of truth in them.

As it is always said, it ain’t over until it’s over — even when the fat lady sings.

eh bakit nga ba si Erap ang dapat?

Eh ‘diba na-convict na ‘yan?
 
Saan na-convict? Sa pulitika? Sa intriga? Kung seryoso kasi ang basehan ng administrasyon ni GMA na kasuhan siya, bakit dalawang ulit siyang inalok ni dating Justice Secretary Nani Perez na tumakas gamit ang back-door exit? Ang sagot ni Erap, “Walang iwanan, walang urungan!” Nilitis siya ng isang ‘special court’ at matapos madeklarang guilty ay agad din na binigyan ng absolute pardon. Kaloka, diba? Sabagay, inaasahan na ‘yang guilty verdict, dahil alam naman ng lahat na ang special court ay binuo para siguruhin na ma-convict si Erap. Pero guilty sa anong kaso, sa jueteng? Hindi naman ‘yan pera ng bayan. Jose Velarde account? Hindi naman kanya ‘yun, at na-withdraw pa nga ng may-ari ng account ang pera niya. ‘Yung pera na sinasabing nakaw at nilagay daw sa Erap Muslim Youth Foundation, ayun ay buong buo pa rin sa bangko.

Ate, Kuya, kung totoo ang mga bintang kay Erap, eh bakit mismong si Tita Cory ay humingi ng tawad sa kanya? Sabi pa ni Tita Cory nagkamali siya sa pagsuporta sa EDSA Dos. May iba pa diyan – sina Bishop Tobias, dating SEC Chairman Jun Yasay – na humingi na rin ng tawad kay Erap. Ano pa ba ang ibig sabihin niyan kung hindi malaking pagkakamali ang EDSA Dos?

Eh #3 lang siya sa survey...manalo pa kaya ‘yan?
 
Nakita mo ba ang dagsa at dami ng taong sumasalubong kay Erap sa kanyang Lakbay Pasasalamat at ngayon naman sa kanyang kampanya? Pag nakita mo, ‘di ka na maniniwala sa mga survey. Isipin mo: ilan ba ang botante ni Erap, at ilan naman ang nagtatanong at sumasagot sa survey?

Ate, Kuya, iba ang survey sa halalan. Ang survey ay damdamin lamang ng iilan, ang halalan ay damdamin ng milyun-milyong botante.

Eh ‘diba may edad na ‘yan...kaya pa ba niya?
Si Ronald Reagan, isa sa pinaka-magaling na naging pangulo ng U.S., ay 74 na nang mahalal, at na re-elect pa nga matapos ang apat na taon. Akala ng mga cardinal noon 1962, wala ng mgagawa pa ang nahalal na Santo Papa, si Pop John XXIII, pero siya ang nagsimula ng makasaysayang Vatican II. At si Pope Benedict XVI ngayon ay 83 na!

Ate, Kuya, gusto mong hamunin ng jogging si Erap? ‘Di ka uurungan nun – he can still “run,” and he can still run this country! 

Eh ‘diba dapat pagbigyan naman ang iba?
 
Sinong iba? Eh ‘di pa nga nahahalal eh isang damukal na ang kaso – may mga tungkol sa kalye, hacienda, atbp! Si Erap galing na sa Malacanang. Alam na alam na niya ang problema ng bayan. Sa loob ng anim na taon niya sa kulungan, tiyak na napag-aralan na niya ang dapat gawin. Sa tindi ng lagay ng ating bansa ngayon, mahirap itong ipagkatiwala sa mga walang alam at karanasan.

Alam mo, may 3 ½ taon pa dapat sa puwesto si Erap kung ‘di lang inudlot ng EDSA Dos. Hindi siya bumabalik...ipagpapatuloy at tatapusin niya ang kanyang naumpisahan na!

Eh kapag naging presidente siya, gagantihan niya lahat ng mga kumalaban sa kanya?
 
Wala sa bokabulrayo ni Erap ang paghihiganti. Sa pelikula lang ‘yun. Ang titindi ng ginawa kay Erap: pinagkaisahan, binastos, pinahiya, pinatalsik, kinutya, kinulong. Sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, nakita mo naman at pinatawad niya lahat ng mga naging pasimuno ng mga ito. ‘Yan ang kailangan nating pangulo, marunong magpatawag upang ang lahat ng sugat ng bayan ay maghilom na sa 
wakas.

Eh baka ma-disqualify lang siya?
 
Qualified nga, ayon sa Comelec. Kung may umapela man sa Korte Suprema, tiyak na kakatigan ng korte ang desisyon ng Comelec at ang sinabi nitong sa bandang huli, ang taong bayan pa rin ang magde-desisyon kung sino ang gusto nilang pinuno.

Ate, Kuya, dapat isa-isip ang kasabihang ito: Vox populi, Vox Dei (Ang tinig ng taong bayan ay ang tinig ng Diyos).

Eh ano ba ang nagawa na niyan para ihalal siyang muli?
 
Ay, ang dami! Nang umalis siya sa puwesto, nag-iwan siya ng P120-bilyon sa kabang bayan. Hataw ang mga programa niya sa agrikultura. Pinulbos niya ang mga rebelde sa Mindanao. Hindi pinalagpas ang mga NPA. Pinuksa ang kriminalidad. Dinurog ang mga sindikato. Sinipa ang mga tiwali sa gobyerno. Pinagbawal ang mga ‘government’ at ‘sovereign’ guarantee sa mga proyekto ng gobyerno na nagiging ugat ng korapsiyon.

Ate, Kuya, nagkaisa ang mga elitistang naghaharing-uri na alisin sa puwesto si Erap noong 2001 dahil hindi siya pumayag sa kanilang kagustuhang itaas ang presyo ng mga pangunahing pangangailangan ng mga mahihirap. Alam mo ba ‘yun?

 si Erap nga talaga ang dapat!
Kung may Erap, may ginhawa!

Erap to give Gibo, Noynoy run for their money in Tarlac

Gerry Baldo
04/07/2010

It would be a close fight among The Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard bearer former President Joseph Estrada, Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential candidate former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Liberal Party (LP) bet Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino in the province of Tarlac, the home turf of both Estrada rivals, a local leader said yesterday. 

Mayor Benito Aquino said that while Aquino and Teodoro who both hail from Tarlac are expected to get huge votes in the province, Estrada is expected to figure in the race at a close third.

“Estrada will get many votes,” Aquino said of the possible votes for Estrada here. “Erap will likely be third, Noynoy will be second and Villar a far fourth, with Teodoro expecting to win the votes here,” Aquino said on the sidelines of a short rally of Estrada’s ticket at a town plaza in Moncada, Tarlac where over a thousand attended yesterday. Aquino is not related to SenatorAquino.

Aquino said that the presidential fight in Tarlac would revolve around Aquino, Teodoro and Estrada.

He said that all candidates are “welcome “ in his town and that the people would be free to chose whom they want to vote.

When asked how close would be the fight among the three in the province, Aquino said: “Too close, although Gibo (Teodoro) will have a slight lead because this is his district.” 

Aquino said Teodoro delivered many projects for the district when he was in Congress.

PMP campaign manager Ambassador Ernesto Maceda said the main link of the PMP with Tarlac is the organization called “Agilang Pilipino” but for President Estrada the main source of votes would be the poor people of Tarlac.

“Noynoy and Gibo are not expected to corner the votes in Tarlac,” Maceda said.

“To say the least maybe they’ll get 35 percent each and we get 25 to 30 percent...that’s good enough, we’ll fight in every province for every vote,” Maceda said before the start of the noontime rally at a covered court here.

PMP re-electionist Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said that the PMP talked to the local leaders to allow the people to chose who among the presidential candidates they would want to vote even as he expressed confidence that the votes for his father would not be “crumbs” from the two Tarlac residents.

“We asked local mayors to let the people make their choice on who to vote and most of them have already acceded to our request,” Jinggoy said.

He said that the PMP is going to put up a good fight here.

“We’ll put up a good fight,” he said.

We don’t mind being number two here. We won’t be picking up crumbs, Estrada and his ticket are strong in Tarlac,” Jinggoy said.

Persuading the youth

DIE HARD III

Herman Tiu Laurel

03/19/2010
I was taken aback when one of my 19-year-old twins asked, “Pa, why aren’t you for Gibo?” This question from my son Enzo, who is a first year De La Salle philosophy student, was asked as we drove home his fellow Northfield alumnus, Miggy, after I picked them up from a party. The question reflects his deep thought about the political question of the day and I felt honored that he considered my view in such an earnest way. The question also reflects a concern of Enzo and his peers that I surmise stems from a perceived positive regard of the youth for Gibo and a need to understand why not everyone is thinking the same way. I started by explaining that the young often assume many things to be absolutely correct but discover soon enough, as they grow older and wiser, that these aren’t so true after all.

Admittedly, Gibo is very articulate and if that were the only basis for leadership, I, too, would be for him. But governance, I explained, is more than just articulation. It is about love for the people and standing by a firm conviction. I then asked: Who among the other nine presidential candidates have ever shown “conviction,” a strong belief in his own cause to risk and actually suffer detention for it?

Erap had always stood by his belief — and conviction — that the people’s welfare is a president’s chief responsibility — the reason he opposed hasty increases in power and water rates that made the oligarchs conspire with the Gloria Arroyo forces to remove him from power and later concoct crimes against him. Estrada believed in his own innocence that he refused exile and chose to stand detention and trial, up to the very end, when they had to pardon him after his kangaroo court conviction.

Further, Erap firmly believes it is the duty of the president to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic; hence, he never balked at wiping out rebellion in Mindanao and resisted foreign intervention.

I also injected Estrada’s concern for farm productivity, as seen in his “carabao breeding” program.

After we dropped Miggy off, that matter faded into oblivion until a week later when Enzo suddenly said: “Pa, you convinced Miggy to vote for Erap.”

Surprised, I asked him how I had convinced Miggy when we never got to talk directly about Erap. Enzo explained that his friend was listening from the backseat the whole time and as he listened to my explanation, he eventually got convinced to vote for Erap.

Given the youth’s mindset, it is no accident that certain candidates are triggering the “herd mentality” among the youth by creating trendy ads and fads that particularly target them.

Chiz Escudero, once the darling of the youth, started this early until his feet of clay collapsed from under him. ABS-CBN is targeting the youth not only for a candidate but for building its self-proclaimed patriotic and non-partisan media role — an empty boast belied by its history of political interventionism and Machiavellianism. The other oligarchs, on the other hand, have been constantly stalking the youth with their “I am Ninoy” type campaigns that feature various fashion pieces as a not-too-subtle push for their Yellow dummy. Then, as another subliminal appeal to the young, Villarroyo uses children’s voices in almost all his ads, too.

As tyrants over the centuries have known, the youth are easily manipulable as a mass of body and mind. From the so-called Hitler Youth to Mao’s Red Guards, to the Catholic Church’s Days with the Lord and Student Catholic Action, the youth have always been an indispensible adjunct. But as my narrative about Enzo and Miggy shows, the youth as individuals aren’t always dumb. We only have to treat them not as “the youth” per se but as individuals who have a clear mind and an innately sound moral foundation.

I imagine my narrative as a radio ad for President Estrada because I think it would really click and spread a chain reaction of Erap’s message, as it is happening among the masa. Let’s say with Eddie Garcia as the father and Angel Locsin and another young male celebrity, the youth will listen.

In the meantime, Estrada presses on with his fight against onerous power rates, as this space is doing, even as mainstream media continue to shut this voice out. At his March 19 jampacked press conference, “The Power Crisis in Mindanao,” at the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino headquarters on 409 Shaw, Estrada lashed out at the power crisis hoax created by the Arroyo regime and the oligarchs, and its danger to the elections.

Estrada proposed his practical approach of mobilizing for conservation and self-generation by big users and those with private generator-sets to protect the people from the crisis’ adverse effects, a vital news which only the Tribune carried in its front pages. That is how big and dangerous the power oligarchs’ lobby is, and it will take an Estrada leadership to face it head on — definitely, another issue that the youth can understand and resonate with.

(Tune in to 1098AM, Suló ng Pilipino, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on “Halalang Marangal: PCOS Failures and Risks”; also visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com)

Erap twits Aquino: I didn’t seek GMA’s pardon

By Gerry Baldo
03/17/2010

BALAYAN, Batangas —Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) standard bearer former President Joseph Estrada, reacting to Liberal Party (LP) bet Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s comment that he is against Estrada having been pardoned by President Arroyo, yesterday twitted him, saying that he had nothing to do with the absolute pardon granted to him.

“He (Aquino) should be told that I did not ask, nor did I seek the pardon. She (Arroyo) could have had an attack of conscience as she may have realized that there was a miscarriage of justice (in granting that pardon). After all, there really was no proof that I stole a single centavo of government money,” Estrada said in an interview at the municipal hall here.

“I really don’t understand why he attacked me. I have not attacked him at all, but I will respond to what he said. I do not compare myself to his father (Sen. Ninoy Aquino),” but Estrada reminded the LP presidential bet that his father, Ninoy, was also convicted by a special court created by the Marcos government. “Let him (Noynoy) not forget that the special court had convicted his father for murder, subversion. Ninoy was convicted, too,” Estrada stressed.

Estrada explained that he could not understand why Aquino would make such a statement.

“I really don’t understand why he gave such a comment against me. He (Noynoy) has no business in that (matter of Arroyo granting me pardon). First of all, it is the prerogative of the President. It is in the law. Noynoy has no business in that (pardon). I am not defending my having been pardoned. But he should first become president if he is against pardons granted to convicts.

At the same time, Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile, PMP senatorial bet, advised Aquino to brush up on the constitutional duties of a Philippine president, hinting broadly that Aquino is far from being ready for the presidency given that, from his statements on being against pardons for convicted persons, he doesn’t seem to even know just what the oath of office of the president, or even the Constitution, entails.

“He (Aquino) has a lot to learn. Before issuing those statements, he should read the oath of office of a president,” Enrile told the Tribune in a brief telephone interview, stressing that in that oath can be found that, apart from a president supporting and defending the Constitution, executing the laws of the land and doing justice to every man, there must be compassion. The President is expected to be compassionate, which is why the Constitution empowers the President to grant reprieves, commutations of sentences and conditional and absolute pardons,” Enrile said.

Article Vll, Section 19 states: “Except in cases of impeachment, or as otherwise provided in the Constitution, the President may grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons, and remit fines and forfeitures, after conviction by final judgment. He shall also have the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of a majority of all the members of the Congress.”

Estrada stressed that his “campaign is (being conducted) on the high level. I can say what is true: That we (PMP) are the only genuine opposition,” and accused the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party of being pseudo-opposition.

He said that the PMP is the only “true political opposition” in the country.

“We are the true opposition, because all of them were engaged in a conspiracy to oust me in Edsa ll. They were all involved in Edsa ll...and not only that. Even during the 2004 elections, they (LP and NP) did not do anything to check on the fraud during the national canvassing. It was all ‘noted, noted, noted’ and during the proclamation, at 3 or 4 a.m., they were also there to railroad the proclamation: Senator (Franklin) Drilon and former Speaker (Jose) De Venecia.”

He questioned their motive in not allowing for the opening of the ballot boxes when the members of the opposition were questioning its integrity during the canvassing of ballots in 2004. Estrada also accused the LP of being responsible for the continued stay in power of Mrs. Arroyo which resulted in so much poverty and corruption in government.

“It was they who were together and connived with the Arroyo administration in making life harder for the Filipinos and divided the people. That is what happened in Edsa ll. That is very clear,”he said.

“Change of power in the Philippines (during the Edsa ll coup d’etat) was no boost for democracy because it was done outside the Constitution,” he added, quoting the Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuwan Yu.

The PMP also yesterday took umbrage at the statement made by Noynoy Aquino and scored him for being a political oppportunist, with the LP candidate’s “politically opportunistic” statement, by saying he was against the absolute pardon granted by Arroyo to Estrada in October 2008.

The PMP said, in a statement: “We find it difficult to reconcile this statement with Senator Aquino’s decision to seek President Estrada’s blessing when he ran for the Senate in 2007.”

PMP spokesman Ralph Calinisan said, “If he (Aquino) is trying to distance himself from our standard bearer now that they are both seeking the presidency, then this is nothing more than political opportunism at its worst.”

Noynoy was one of seven Genuine Opposition (GO) bets who clinched a Senate seat with the active support of Estrada, who was then still under detention in Tanay, Rizal.

Political pundits later acknowledged that Estrada’s endorsement played a significant role in the final 7-3-2 count of the senatorial race that year, with the administration-backed Team Unity’s dismal showing also blamed on the hugely unpopular Arroyo.

But Calinisan clarified that Senator Aquino’s statement was no longer surprising given his penchant for changing his opinion for political expediency.

“We distinctly recall that Senator Aquino once confidently said he would not raise taxes once he is elected president,” Calinisan pointed out, “yet when his statement raised an outcry among businessmen and economists, he immediately retreated and changed his stand on this.

“This does not speak well of someone who says he wants to lead the country; there is no room for a wishy-washy chief executive especially at a time when our countrymen remain hostage to poverty, hunger and a lack of viable opportunities for growth,” Calinisan remarked.

The spokesman further said that there is a growing need to remind the electorate that not every candidate who claims to be from the ranks of the opposition is actually one.

“Only those who actually opposed the perverted policies of the current administration and openly denounced its misgovernance have the right to be called oppositionists,” Calinisan stressed, “while those who played a role -- even the smallest one -- in installing her to power have no business claiming to be members of the opposition.” 

In Naga City, Aquino, realizing his faux pas, tried backtracking on his statements aired in an interview that said he was against the grant of pardon to Estrada.

Aquino claimed his statement on this was taken out of context, admitting that he failed to elaborate the matter, especially the issue of Estrada being not given due process.

“It was not meant to come out like that. What I failed to point out was that, if he was really afforded justice -- was conviction the appropriate decision on the case of President Estrada?,” he said.

Aquino tried to clear up the matter, when asked by reporters during a press conference in Naga City where the LP is holding its campaign sorties, as his pronouncements appeared to have stirred unnecessary tension between him and Estrada.

“Honestly, I need to review what I said about that,”he said, referring to the question on his position of the grant of pardon to the deposed president, who was convicted of plunder several years ago. 

“I cannot recall the specifics (of the case). Based on my memory, there were several questions that hounded the case such as the promotion, if I am not mistaken, of the judge (that handled the case). It was a speedy promotion after his trial. The question was due to a very controversial decision (vis-a-vis) the promotion (of the judge),”he claimed in trying to get out of a sticky situation.

Aquino further noted that, in granting pardon, the sentence meted to the convicted person should be served first.

The senator said that the context of his statement was in reference to the assassination case of his father, where those accused were convicted yet the real mastermind remains unknown to this day.

The exact statement of Aquino, when sought his opinion on the matter of the pardon of Estrada, having close personal ties with Estrada, said:“I do not agree with that (Arroyo’s pardon of Estrada.) I do not agree either with the pardon granted to those convicted of killing my father (Ninoy Aquino ) and other pardons issued by the present administration (to other convicts), I do not agree with that,”he was quoted as saying during an interview in a morning television program

Estrada finds momentum

EDITORIAL

Click to enlarge

03/07/2010 The Daily Tribune
What most politicians fear most, which is to lose their wind in the homestretch while seeing at the corner of their eyes, the one they dismissed long ago as an also ran bringing the rear fast, is happening to both Liberal Party (LP) bet Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and Nacionalista Party (NP) candidate Manuel Villar Jr.

In the latest Pulse Asia survey former President Joseph Estrada was shown making a dash based on the presidential preference three months into the elections gaining six percentage points putting him within striking distance of Aquino and Villar who both suffered lower ratings from the previous survey in January, if one goes by what the surveys claim.

Estrada’s gain came after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Supreme Court (SC) cleared all legal obstacles on Estrada’s run last January, said one Estrada supporter.

What appeared in the latest survey was perhaps that which many of those who doubted Estrada could pursue a new presidential bid, have started to shift their support to him from the other candidates after being assured that their votes on Erap would not be wasted.

The gain was most prominent in Mindanao where the gain was an impressive nine percentage points, but Estrada always had a stronghold in Mindanao. What was strange was the fact that the earlier surveys made him look weak in this region.

Going by the survey numbers, the gains, however, were all over with preference for Erap advancing three points to 17 percent in the National Capital Region (NCR), seven points to 16 percent in Luzon and two points to eight percent in the Visayas region.

Comparatively, Aquino fell two points in NCR, fell four points in Luzon, another two points in Visayas and gained five points in Mindanao based on the comparison of the latest survey with the previous month’s.

Villar is also facing an overall downtrend after being flat in NCR and the Visayas while falling five points and a huge 17-point plunge in Mindanao between the February and January surveys. 

Also, Estrada was only able to start a decent campaign after the January SC and Comelec decisions, the reason for his preference to start to peak.

In the world of sports, protagonists of a competition pace themselves and try to find their peak just around the crucial day of competition.

With the analogy, it seems that both Aquino and Villar are peaking too early and the vicious mud-slinging between both camps in the past few months featuring ironically similar allegations of profiting improperly from multimillion-dollar road projects may have saturated the public enough to start to doubt their having presidential qualities.

It does not need pointing out that the political shades of both camps, when it comes down to their backgrounds, do not differ much.

Both have the vestiges of the disgraced Edsa II power grab that robbed Estrada of the presidency in 2001.

The civil socialites that led the military-backed takeover are now the political base of Aquino while many of the former supporters of Gloria have jumped ship to join Villar’s camp.

Thus, between Aquino and Villar the choice is the arrogant lot of the civil socialites reclaiming power or what many see as a status quo if Villar becomes president.

Estrada may offer the only real alternative of returning the government to the masses.

Even with the recent poll showing Estrada gaining fast, real public sentiment is hardly reflected in the surveys since these do not systematically reflect the real extent of Estrada’s strength, and that is with the poor.

Estrada it seems, will be springing surprises as the elections near with probably the biggest surprise likely happening on May 10 — as the Estrada strength can be palpably felt on the ground, but still not quite reflected in these so-called pulse of the electorate surveys.

Erap to GMA: Allow next leader to pick Supreme Court chief

By Jose Rodel Clapano (The Philippine Star) Updated February 28, 2010 12:00 AM
 

Former President Joseph Estrada displays his fighting form before facing the STAR interview panel last Friday night. FERNAN NEBRES

MANILA, Philippines - Former President Joseph Estrada advised President Arroyo against appointing the next chief justice of the Supreme Court (SC) and allow the next president to appoint the chief magistrate.

Estrada also advised Mrs. Arroyo to follow the example set by her father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, in dismissing the midnight appointments made by his predecessor.

“Out of respect for her father, (Mrs. Arroyo) should not appoint the next chief justice. She should allow the next president to do that,” Estrada told The STAR.

Estrada said Macapagal did not honor the appointment made by former President Carlos Garcia of Dominador Aytona as governor of the then Central Bank of the Philippines (now Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas).

He said Macapagal instead appointed Andres Castillo as the new CB governor.


Estrada said the SC ruled in favor of Macapagal and nullified the midnight appointment of Aytona as ad interim CB governor.

Estrada said if Macapagal did not recognize the legality of the appointment of Aytona, there is more reason for his daughter to do the same in the case of the next chief justice.

“In my opinion, once the election is held, automatically the incumbent president will be a caretaker president. She cannot appoint or dismiss anyone,” Estrada said.

Estrada said he prevented influence peddling in the appointment of members of the judiciary during his presidency by ignoring even the sentiments of his supporters and campaign contributors.

According to Estrada, a big-time campaign fund contributor and a business tycoon he did not identify got angry with him for turning down his requests to help him in a pending case before the high court.

Estrada said the Filipino trait of utang na loob (paying a debt of gratitude) should not compromise the interest of the greater majority.

Estrada joined the increasing public clamor against Mrs. Arroyo appointing the next chief justice during the remaining months of her term of office.

The Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), for its part, has opted to wait for the SC to rule on the proposals to appoint the replacement of Chief Justice Reynato Puno before submitting the shortlist of nominees to Malacañang.

The JBC said it would push through with the ongoing selection process pending resolution by the high court of the consolidated petitions of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa) and lawyers Jaime Soriano, Arturo de Castro and former solicitor general Estelito Mendoza that sought answers to the issue of whether Mrs. Arroyo can appoint the next chief justice.

Under the Constitution, the incumbent President is banned from making appointments two months before the elections until the end of her term. Puno retires on May 17, which falls within the period of the ban.

But some sectors claim that Mrs. Arroyo could still name the next chief justice since the constitutional ban applies to appointments made in the executive department.

Threatened by Erap’s hold over the masses?

FRONTLINE

Ninez Cacho-Olivares

02/28/2010
In all the so-called commissioned and non-commissioned surveys, whether they be the Social Weather Stations or the Pulse Asia survey — both of which incidentally appear to have lost their credibility --- Erap Estrada, seeking the presidency for the second time, is always ranked at third place — with his numbers remaining static for months, which is an impossibility, given that the numbers just don’t jibe with what is on the ground.

But media lap up these survey findings and have taken them as an electoral fight between just two contenders: Manny Villar and Noynoy Aquino who are now media-billed as the frontrunners in the election.

It has even come to a point where a Noynoy-commissioned survey by the TNS, released to the Yellow media, was quickly publicized, despite the fact that no data were made public — just the numbers showing Noynoy up by 11 or 12 percent over Villar. No survey question was produced, no demographics — just the survey figures on a claimed 3,000 respondents nationwide.

Gee, if such is what surveys are made of, why, anyone can come up with an unsubstantiated survey and release this to the media. Of what use would this be?

What is surprising in all this is that both, or at least their backers, want Estrada to withdraw from the race and endorse their candidacies.

But whatever for, if as claimed, Estrada ranks a poor third in the surveys, and the survey numbers for Villar and Noynoy are enough to make either one win, or so their surveys claim?

Apparently, they don’t believe in their survey numbers, or their electoral strength, and still see Estrada as a threat to their victory at the polls.

A newspaper report bared that Mike Velarde, the leader of the Catholic Charismatic Group El Shaddai, known to his flock as “Bro. Mike,” had asked Estrada to withdraw from the presidential race.

It will be recalled that last week, Estrada had bared that there have been emissaries from unnamed political camps who have asked him to withdraw from the race and that he had rejected their offers, stressing that he is not going to withdraw from the race, as he would never leave his candidates, from vice president, senators, down to the mayors supporting him, without a presidential candidate.

Estrada’s campaign manager, Ambassador Ernesto Maceda was reported to have identified one of the emissaries as Bro. Mike Velarde, who has already made his presidential choice much too public. It was he who has asked Estrada to withdraw in favor of his presidential anointed.

Velarde’s spokesman, Mel Robles, denied this, but the denial is hardly credible, given the fact that the Villar camp — as well as the Noynoy camp — has been spreading the rumor of Estrada withdrawing from the presidential race for some time.

There was even a time when, in front of some Metro Manila mayors, Villar had claimed that Estrada was willing to withdraw from the race, but that the former president was asking for too high a price for his withdrawal — which was a barefaced lie.

Velarde knows that among his El Shaddai flock, there are many who are still for Estrada, and his anointed does not have the same charismatic appeal Erap has over the masses. And Velarde also knows that the El Shaddai flock is not a command vote.

So why are these two frontrunners threatened by the continued stay in the race of Estrada?

Is it possible they know for certain that the survey figures are being massaged in their favor, and more to the point, these same survey outfits, that don’t want to see Estrada in Malacañang again, are making sure that his numbers are deliberately being brought down?

There have already been many instances where these same survey outfits have been found to have massaged the numbers, apart from the fact that the methodology used has already been junked by the western world, as too much bias creeps in on such face to face survey, not to mention the existence of a field workers’ syndicate that charges half a million pesos per one percentage point increase for the candidate. This may even explain why Estrada’s numbers are down. The percentages are subtracted from him and added up to whoever pays for that increase.

Despite their massaged survey numbers, they still want Estrada out or the race.

They must know something we don’t.

ABS-CBN nixes Erap ad airing

Network says ad claim on economy not substantiated 


For a television network that claims to be credible and fair, the giant network ABS-CBN again showed its bias as it disproved its claims at fairness, impartiality and credibility, with its refusal to broadcast an advertisement of presidential candidate former President Joseph Estrada, focusing on his his achievements as president during his two year’s stay in Malacañang.

This is not the first time ABS-CBN has refused to air advertisements being placed by Estrada and his camp.
Earlier, the giant TV network had refused to air the infomercial of Estrada that had a video of the late President Cory Aquino apologizing to him for her participation in the Edsa ll coup d’etat, saying she had made mistake in helping the coup plotters in ousting Estrada.

Despite the fact that this incident was aired by the network itself, and that the video footage came from the ABS-CBN cameras and news programs, ABS-CBN network still refused to air the infomercial. It was clear then that the network refused to air Estrada’s informercial as it was behind the candidacy of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.

GMA network, which according to a survey, is deemed by respondents as the most credible network, and whose slogan is impartiality and crediblity, lived up to its name when it aired the Estrada infomercial without any conditions, finding nothing wrong with the ad.

Similarly, GMA-TV also accepted for airing the ad on the economic gains and priorities under the Estrada administration without conditions, which ABS-CBN refused to air.

Much earlier, when Estrada was in detention in Tanay, Rizal, he also had a couple of advertisements for ABS-CBN airing, where he put out the survey findings showing that the majority of the Filipinos did not believe he was guilty of plunder, among other ads that were based on facts. They were turned down by ABS-CBN.

ABS-CBN has also shown its bias against Estrada even in its newsprograms.
In one instance, with the program Media in Focus, the spokesmen of Aquino and other presidential candidates were invited — except for the spokesmen of Estrada.

Even during his declaration to run for the presidency at the Plaza Moriones in Tondo, while the news program carried it, the anchor however, ensured that her panel guests were all anti-Estrada guests, who all said he would be disqualified and that he no longer had the people to vote for him.

Thus, while Estrada’s declaration was in a small window box, the anchor and her guests were attacking Estrada.

The same was done during the filing of the presidential candidates’ filing of certificates of candidacies. While all other candidates, Aquino and Villar’s filing was uninterrupted by commentaries from the TV anchors.
When it came to Estrada’s turn, there went again the anchor, having yet another anti-Erap analyst commenting on his being disqualified.

This time around, ABS-CBN claimed it had disapproved the ad of Estrada which says that the Estrada administration had the highest budget for health care and social services and education, as this claim has not been substantiated.

The network stated that the “information does not appear to be sufficient. The claims referred to budget, whereas the information does not indicate that the Estrada Administration had the largest budget in Education and Health Care and Social Services among all administrations.”

Sources in the Estrada camp told the Tribune yesterday that which ABS-CBN wanted the Estrada camp to do is to have a comparative table of all administrations — from the start of the American colonial period to the Arroyo presidency.

The Estrada figures were taken from official data, budget and the National Statistics Board, starting with the Marcos administration all the way to the Arroyo administration in comparison to his, during his brief two year term.

The Estrada camp provided ABS-CBN with official budget data from former budget secretary Benjamin Diokno, which showed that Estrada spent the most in economic services, social services and the lowest in debt service interests.

A source from the Estrada camp told the Tribune that the network is really showing its bias against Estrada, in now demanding the Estrada camp to provide an official certification from the Arroyo government to state that the figures given by Estrada are true and can be substantiated, knowing that this certification would not be given by Arroyo.

The sources laughed off this excuse of the network, saying that it has been airing the “legacy” claims of Arroyo, which can hardly be substantiated. Yet this has been aired.

The network has also aired Nacionalista presidential bet, Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar’s many unsubstantiated claims in his ads, including his song that insinuates that he has swam in a pile of garbage, or that his house in Tondo was such and that he was born poor, which can be challenged and can not be substantiated.
In the same manner, Liberal Party bet Noynoy Aquino’s ad has a lot of claims that have not been asked by the network to substantiate.

Meanwhile Business consultant Peter Wallace, who was among the first to support Arroyo in 2001 after a military-backed uprising that ousted Estrada, has questioned in a recent report the supposed legacy economic achievements of Arroyo that appeared in two-page advertisements in major newspapers.

“Some truly magical numbers from a fairyland I didn’t know existed,” Wallace said of Arroyo’s trumpeted indicators.
The most recent Wallace Report titled Fairyland said Arroyo’s claim of a 4.86 percent average growth during her nine-year term must be deflated for the statistical discrepancy in the 2007 number when a drop in imports created a double negative that artificially inflated gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

He posed the argument that “nothing dramatically different occurred in 2007 that could have justified (a) 7.1 percent growth.”

“Our best estimate is around 4.8 percent if imports had grown at their historically normal rate.” he said of the 2007 economic expansion figure.

With that adjustment, average growth under GMA has been 4.7 percent. Estrada matches it. “Are we to assume from this that Estrada was as good an economic manager as Arroyo?,” he said.

The report also conceded that Estrada has a far better record than Arroyo in providing low cost shelter.
“Isn’t it a little unfair to compare the number of houses the government built in the two and a half years of Estrada with the nine years of Arroyo? On an annualized basis, Ramos built 33,982 per year, Estrada 39,306, and Arroyo 32,777 — who did better?,” the report said.

The government said the growth provided more income to the people, therefore more money to buy food but the percentage of households that experienced hunger at least once in the past three months recently hit a record-high of 24 percent or about 4.4 million households, Wallace said.

The poor definitely have gotten no benefit from the “highest average GDP growth recorded since 1966” or the “highest quarterly growth posted in 30 years” proclaimed in the government ad.
He said prices of commodities are periodically artificially low because of Arroyo’s intervention.
“Inflation, I’ll agree, is far lower and that is in part because of good management, but good management by the Central Bank, which is part of its role.

“GMA’s involvement has been to artificially control prices and create an economy where people can’t afford fair market value, so firms are forced to sell at lower margins. This is in the free market she espouses, but then doesn’t follow,” he said.

He added the Philippines attracted the least foreign direct investments (FDI) among the Asean—6 member countries during the past eight years.

The country got $12.1 billion; next lowest was Indonesia at $29.7 billion; little old Singapore did best at $133 billion, 11 times the Philippine level; while Malaysia and Thailand got about the same at a little over $40 billion each, he said.

On the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) boom that Arroyo claimed credit for, Wallace questioned what specific actions did this government do that were different to justify credit for this.

“The talent of the Filipino for this role did it. What policies or actions did GMA take to improve this sector? Creating a Department of ICT that this sector so urgently needs just hasn’t happened despite that I raised the subject to her three months into her presidency. The high-level, focused attention can’t be there without it,” he said.

“I could go on, but you get the message. There’s hardly an honest number in the whole two pages.
As Ben Diokno says, itfs a disgraceful waste of money. And a deliberate deception to the public that doesnft have the access to the real data like we do,” he said.

BPO started by Erap administration, not GMA

Reacting to the crowing of President Arroyo on her claimed legacy of the reported P7-billion business process outsourcing

(BPO) industry which she said she had “built from scratch” and which is the major key for the Philippines to finally join the ranks of developed countries, former President Joseph Estrada’s spokesman, Margaux Salcedo yesterday, pointed out that the Arroyo administration did not build the BPO industry

from scratch. The Estrada administration, she stressed, started this industry sector.

“The Arroyo administration did not build the BPO industry from scratch. The BPO industry was started by the Erap administration,” Salcedo said yesterday in reaction the Arroyo claim.

“The BPO Industry had its beginnings when former President Joseph Estrada directed the Department of Trade and Industry in 1999 to expand the existing Economic Zones to include IT or Information Technology related businesses,” Salcedo clarified. 

“The Department of Trade and Industry got a directive from President Estrada to position the Philippines as an IT center. They even commissioned a special study to research prospects and then-DTI Secretary Jose ‘Titoy’ Pardo was even sent to India and Silicon Valley in the United States to explore opportunities.”

The Philippines, under the Estrada administration, was then able to partner with India and thus received the necessary training in the conduct of BPO.

Clarifying the history of the Business Processing Outsourcing industry in the Philippines, former Trade and Industry Jose “Titoy” Pardo said, “The BPO industry may have matured during the GMA administration but it cannot ignore that its origins are from the Estrada administration.” 

“It was during President Estrada’s administration that the Northgate Cyberzone in Filinvest City in Alabang, the Eastwood City Cyberpark, and the RCBC Plaza IT centers were inaugurated in 1999,” Pardo recalled. Pardo was Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry and Chairman of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority or Peza at the time. 

Pardo also revealed that it was during the Estrada administration that the interpretation of the Peza Law was expanded to include the Information Technology industry. The tax exemptions were designed to work as incentives for BPOs. This was instrumental in changing the industry climate to encourage BPO businesses to invest in the country.

Arroyo, touring the so-called “cyber corridor,” bragged that she would be turning over to her successor the call center industry which she said has become the second biggest global earner which would leave to the Philippines obtaining Frist World status.

A newspaper report quoted her as saying that “much work remains to be done but I am determined to turn over to the new government a new Philippines ready for the new challenge of bringing the nation on the verge of (becoming) First World in 20 years,” she said.

“Two hundred years ago there was the agriculture revolution, then there was the Industrial Revolution, and now we have the knowledge revolution -- and that’s the way to bring us to the First World,” she said.

She claimed full credit for having started “from scratch” the BPO industry, as she passes this claim off as part of her “legacy” to the Filipino people.

Without Erap, lose Mindanao

While Alan Cayetano was triggering a political circus to save Manny Villar, critical problems are forgotten, such as North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Piñol issuing a very powerful warning this week: “We may have put a stop to the MoA-AD (Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain), but with five months left in the Arroyo administration, we may not be as successful this time around.”

The country is facing the loss of control of a great part of Mindanao while many Filipinos in the areas to be ceded are facing an oppressive imposition. Christians, Lumads and even Muslim groups such as the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) oppose the Bangso Moro Juridical Entity, a concept imposed by the British, US powers and their ally Malaysia to install their puppet Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in an area covering North Cotabato, Zamboanga and many provinces not in the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), plus the fossil fuel rich Liguasan Marsh and Sulu Sea.

Piñol added during the North Cotabato gathering, “This is why I hope the next president will be Erap. I pray it would be Erap… President Erap understands that Mindanao needs security above all. And it is on record that of all presidents, it was Erap who achieved the freedom from terror in Mindanao when he won the war against the MILF…” 

Last year when the Yellow candidate announced his candidacy and some Edsa II recidivists (sorry for 2001 but balik-dilaw for 2010) rejoined the Yellows, I texted them: “I am absolutely certain the Philippines will lose Mindanao if your candidate makes it.” 

I am now reaffirmed by Piñol’s statements. Truth to tell, the Yellow candidate went to Mindanao to “pray” before announcing his candidacy but actually consulted confidants like Chito Ayala on how Mindanaons would take the MoA-AD if he promised the same to the US in exchange for their support.

It is not surprising therefore that Ambassador Kristie Kenney was widely reported by Philippine media to have quipped in one TV show that she “wears yellow.” No wonder then that all the traditional institutions associated with western hegemony in the Philippines, particularly the Makati Business Club and the Catholic hierarchy, the “civil society” such as the Hyatt 10 (11 because lawyer Nonong Cruz was the real engineer of that attempted putsch in 2005), openly endorse or have joined the campaign of the Yellow candidate. 

Also, the Yellow media which have been working to implant subliminal pro-Yellow candidate messages in their news reporting such as the full front page treatment of the “Cory Swatch” designed by Edsa people power crony Jaime Zobel de Ayala that didn’t do anything but attach a yellow strap which my watch repair man at the Edsa Central market could do better.

The real issue in the elections of 2010 is still the Filipino national interest versus the regime of neo-colonial slavery reigning since Edsa I and aggravated by Edsa II. The 1986 Cory led coup d’etat brought back Nur Misuari from political limbo and revived the MNLF that the Marcos government had already marginalized with the hard earned victories of the AFP. The 2001 Edsa II as well gave a return ticket to the already self-exiled MILF leader Hashim Salamat whom President Estrada had already vanquished in 2000. There is no doubt that the Edsa II was partly motivated by the US and British-Malaysian interests to restore their leverage in Mindanao and eventually Balkanize that part of the country to control its fossil fuel resources just as they have done in so many parts of the world, such as East Timor from Indonesia, Kuwait from Iraq, and have been attempting in Bolivia.

I don’t know if we can save Mindanao from Uncle Sam’s cake knife: With the charlatans in the Senate and the House, I see very little hope unless drastic change in leadership quality transpires. On the C-5 scam for example, Joker Arroyo is correct in saying that the entire Senate is guilty because they all approved the 2009 budget which included the insertions of Villar. We expect Joker Arroyo to lead the rest of the Senate in resigning their positions posthaste because of this admission on his part. The biggest loser in the current imbroglio are Villar and Alan Cayetano because they simply can’t stand on the argument that it’s all just politics and numbers. It was Villar’s chance to show that he could stand above politics and numbers and carry the day with a stirring defense of his innocence to win the nation’s heart — but obviously he could not and chose to hide behind his political surrogate.

Pimentel showed the nadir of his capabilities in his intervention about “insertions” and Jamby Madrigal should have just kept her piece because history records the facts about their family wealth:

From “Policing America’s Empire: The United States, the Philippines, and the Rise of the Surveillance State” by Alfred McCoy: “In a clear example of crony capitalism, Quezon, working through Governor Harrison, appointed the well-connected mestizo merchant Ramon Fernandez to the PNB Board in 1916. Three years later Fernandez and another PNB director, Vicente Madrigal, voted themselves interest-free personal loans for an ill-fated attempt to corner Manila’s hemp supply. The market collapsed, leaving the bank with 53,000 worthless bales of hemp and P2.2 million in bad loans that the PNB directors illegally wiped from the books.” They all seem hopelessly hypocritical and inane.

It’s time we return power to the people, keep Mindanao for the nation: “Ibalik ang Pwersa sa Masa.” 

(Tune to 1098AM, Sulo ng Pilipino, M-W-F, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.; visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com)

Erap to boost campaign after Comelec nod on candidacy

Former President Joseph Estrada on Thursday said he is looking to boost his electoral campaign now that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has given him the go signal to pursue the presidency once more.

In an interview over GMA News' Unang Hirit, Estrada said many people have expressed willingness to contribute to his campaign after the Comelec dismissed two petitions to disqualify him from running for president in the May elections. [See: Comelec allows Erap to run in May 10 polls]

"Marami namang gustong tumulong; dagdagan yung TV ads dahil medyo mahal ng konti eh kaya maraming gustong tumulong ngayon lalo na nung lumabas yung desisyon sa Comelec (There are many who want to help; TV ads are expensive so many are willing to help, especially after the Comelec released its decision)," the former president said.

Estrada said he would also continue his "Lakbay Pasasalamat" to thank his supporters who stood by him even while he was incarcerated.

With the Comelec decision, Estrada expressed confidence that he would rise higher in surveys on preferred presidential candidates, noting that he consistently ranked third even back when there were doubts on the legitimacy of his renewed bid for the presidency.

The decision, however, is not yet final since the petitioners can still appeal the same before the Comelec en banc and even the Supreme Court.



Quite ironically, the Comelec's Second Division released its decision allowing Estrada to have another shot at the presidency on the same day that he was forced out of office nine years ago.

Highest vote

Estrada was elected president in 1998 with over 10 million votes, the highest vote a presidential candidate ever had in Philippine history.

After less than three years in power, he was toppled by a popular uprising many dub as "EDSA Dos" amid corruption allegations and before an impeachment court could rule on his case.

In September 2007, Estrada was convicted by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan for plunder, sentenced to reclusion perpetua and disqualified from seeking public office.

A month later, however, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted him executive clemency, thus restoring his political and civil rights, including his right to run for public office.

To this day, Estrada maintains that the Edsa Dos uprising--which consequently propelled then-Vice President Arroyo to the presidency--was a mistake.

"Si President Cory Aquino, she touched my heart nung siya sa publiko humingi ng tawad sa akin sa pagkakamali ng Edsa Dos," he said in the same television interview.

Cory apology

The late former President Aquino, who was the first to be propelled to the presidency through people power after millions of Filipinos supported a military uprising against the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, was one of the leaders of EDSA Dos.

However, she publicly apologized to Estrada in December 2008 for helping oust him. [See: 'Guilty' Cory says sorry to Estrada for EDSA 2 revolt]

A day after the Comelec allowed Estrada to run again, pro-Estrada ads calling on people to right the supposed wrongs of EDSA Dos were published in newspapers.

"Ang pagkakamali ng Edsa Dos... Iwasto natin sa May 2010... Ibalik ang Pwersa sa Masa (Right the wrongs of EDSA-Dos in May 2010. Bring the power to the masses)," the message of the ad went.

The ads, placed in Metro Manila broadsheets and tabloids, featured a photo of Estrada's wrist with his "trademark" wristband with the presidential seal, reaching out to the masses.

Quotes from personalities questioning the impact of EDSA Dos on the Constitution were featured in the ads. Also included in the ads were apologies to Estrada by Mrs. Aquino and Catholic bishop Antonio Tobias. - Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ, GMANews.TV

Triumph of the people

Talk of Erap Estrada being disqualified, as well as rumors spread by both the Liberal Party (LP) and the Nacionalista Party (NP) camps that he is withdrawing from the presidential race and will be endorsing either party’s standard bearer can now be laid to rest, after the Commission on Elections

(Comelec)’s second division junked the three disqualification cases against the former President, on grounds that he is not the incumbent president seeking reelection, and the belief that the decision on who is to be elected president is best left to the sovereign people.

From the start, the anti-Erap media and the anti-Erap elite groups tried to demolish his candidacy by stressing that Estrada would be disqualified, giving out all arguments about his being banned from running for the same seat, in a bid to weaken his candidacy.

Even when Estrada officially announced his candidacy and that of his vice president and senatorial bets in Tondo, the anti-Erap media, even as they covered the proclamation rally, ensured that their guest panelists would all be anti-Erap individuals. Thus, as there was live video coverage in a box on the TV screen, there were the anchors and the panelists all saying that Erap will be disqualified anyway since he is constitutionally banned from running for the top post again.

Then too, came the day Estrada filed his certificate of candidacy at the Comelec, and again the same mode was adopted by the anti-Erap TV network. There again went the guest invited to comment, but one who was also clearly anti-Erap, saying that Estrada has no chance of making it to the race since he faces sure disqualification.

Arguments on whether he could run or not went on, with the added spiel that Estrada was going to withdraw in favor of LP bet Noynoy Aquino, simultaneously with the spread of rumor by the Villar camp that Estrada will be withdrawing from the race and be endorsing Villar.

There were reports from the field that the Villar camp even had a tabloid issue saying that Erap was ready to withdraw in favor of Villar.

All that didn’t even stop as the same anti-Erap groups and media, in reporting survey ratings, dropped Estrada altogether, making it appear that the race was just between Aquino and Villar.

Not surprisingly either, they came up with “analyses” of Estrada losing his touch with the masses and was being rejected by his constituents.

At every chance they got, they always excluded him in reports such as the trips of presidential bets to commiserate with the evacuees from the Mayon ash falls, even when he also went to these places.

Today, the issue on the disqualification of Estrada’s presidential bid should be a dead issue, but that hasn’t stopped the same anti-Erap groups from saying that the Comelec’s decision may still be overturned, despite the fact that the Comelec spokesman said that while a motion for reconsideration is allowed, a strong legal and constitutional argument has to be made for the commission to reverse its decision. But what could be a strong argument against the fact that it is the sovereign people, and not the unelected, who should decide whom they want to elect as president?

The Comelec’s promulgation junking the three disqualification cases also came on the exact date that the anti-Erap civil society staged a coup d’etat against Estrada, exactly nine years ago.

The junking of the disqualification cases against Estrada is not just a triumph of the former President. It is the triumph of the Filipino people, whose sovereign right to elect a president of their choice has been upheld.

There must be a moral lesson in all this, for the power-grabbing elite anti-Erap groups to learn.

Comelec allows Erap to run for President in May 10 polls

The Commission on Elections on Wednesday allowed former President Joseph Estrada to run in this year's presidential elections.

"The better policy approach is to let the people decide who will be the next president. For on political questions, this Court may err but the sovereign people will not," the poll body’s Second Division said in a decision junking the petition filed against Estrada last December.

"The two petitions for disqualification separately filed by Evilio Pormento and Mary Lou Estrada against former President Joseph Estrada are both denied for utter lack of merit," the Comelec said.

Incidentally, the decision was promulgated on the same day Estrada was forced by a popular street uprising to step down nine years ago.

The Second Division likewise denied the petition of lawyer Elly Pamatong to cancel Estrada's certificate of candidacy, saying the plea had wasted the poll body's "precious time."

In seeking Estrada's disqualification, the petitioners cited Article VII, Section 4 of the Constitution which says: "The President shall not be eligible for any reelection. No person who has succeeded as President and has served as such for more than four years shall be qualified for election to the same office at any time."

Pamatong, who was present during the promulgation, was enraged by what he claimed were corrupt commissioners. He was cited in contempt and detained.



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Estrada elated

"I want to thank the Lord, I want to thank the Comelec commissioners for their sense of fairness," Estrada said, adding that his triumph was a "victory for the Filipino people." If appealed, the division ruling may still be overturned by the Comelec en banc and Supreme Court.

Since Estrada formally announced his intention to run again for President, many have debated whether he would be allowed to do so.

Citing the same Charter provision, Estrada asserts he is still eligible to have another shot at the presidency because he does not fall into two categories banned from doing so: incumbent Presidents and those who have finished their six-year term as President.

In 1998, Estrada was elected with over 10 million votes, the highest vote a presidential candidate ever had in Philippine history. After less than three years in power, he was toppled by the street uprising amid corruption allegations and before an impeachment court could rule on his case.

In September 2007, Estrada was convicted by the Sandiganbayan, the country's anti-graft court, for plunder, sentenced to a lifetime in jail and disqualified from seeking public office.

A month later, however, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted him executive clemency, thus restoring his political and civil rights, including his right to seek public office. He has since reiterated his eligibility to run, saying he was not covered by the reelection ban under the 1987 Constitution.

Election lawyer and Arroyo supporter Romulo Macalintal, however, contests Estrada’s argument, saying any Chief Executive is covered by the clause.

He also said the four-year cap under Section 4 applies only to those who have succeeded the President, not those who were elected to office.

But the second division ruled that the contested provision only refers to the incumbent and the prohibition to run in the subsequent election.

"Estrada no longer holds a public office, more importantly, he is no longer the President and wields none of the vast powers of this position… because of this prevailing status, a simple application of the rule will lead any reasonable and logical person to conclude that the prohibition against the reelection of the President does not apply to Estrada," it said in the decision.