Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Zap on 2010 elections exposed

Resolution for term extension of all elected execs.

The NO-EL GAMBIT has been revived by supporters of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to postpone the holding of the 2010 elections.

No-el refers to no elections.

A resolution extending the term of Ms AJustify Fullrroyo beyond that year has quietly found its way into the powerful House committee on constitutional amendments.

The resolution filed by administration Rep. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas seeks to keep Ms Arroyo in her post for one more year should his parallel proposal of moving the May 2010 elections a year later be adopted.

Lawyer Neri Colmenares said Tuesday that the one-year term extension for Ms Arroyo would be the logical effect of the resolution, which states that: "All elected officials whose term will end at noon on June 30, 2010 shall hereby hold office until noon of June 30, 2011."

Colmenares later told the Inquirer that HR 550 would eventually be "merged" with similar measures seeking to change the Charter, including the resolution to convene Congress into a constituent assembly currently being circulated by Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte.

Ms Arroyo, along with senators, serves a six-year term. Members of the House of Representatives, governors and mayors have three-year terms.

"Is there a basis to assert or suspect that one of the reasons for changing the Constitution is for the term extension of President Arroyo and other public officials?" Colmenares told members of the committee.

Answering his own question, he said: "I would humbly forward, your honor, that there is a basis for that."

Blowing the whistle
Colmenares, secretary general of the National Union of People's Lawyers, blew the whistle on House Resolution No. 550 while speaking as a resource person at the committee hearing on whether there was a need to revise the 1987 Constitution.

The resolution seeks to extend to four years the term of House members and other elected local officials, except those at the barangay level.

Colmenares said the Mandanas resolution was one of 10 measures pending in the committee, all seeking to amend or revise the Constitution.

Initial denial

La Union Rep. Victor Ortega, chair of the committee on constitutional amendments, initially denied the existence of a resolution seeking term extension for Ms Arroyo or other elected officials.

But Ortega later acknowledged that HR 550 had been formally accepted by his committee.

"(But) I assure you, this has not been discussed," Ortega told Colmenares.

Palace against extension

Anthony Golez, deputy presidential spokesperson, said Mandanas was free to file HR 550, but said it was too premature to talk about it.

Asked if Malacañang would exercise its "moral suasion" to talk its allies out of moves to extend Ms Arroyo's term, Golez said: "We've said time and again that the President is stepping down in 2010."

Golez reiterated that Malacañang would back moves to lift the restrictive economic provisions of the Constitution, but not the limit on the term of the President.

"If you ask the Palace, we will not agree to a term extension of any elected official," he said in reaction to a survey showing that a majority of Filipinos are opposed to Charter change amid fears it would be used to extend the President's term.

He said Malacañang would block any efforts to extend the term limits of any elected official, including the President.

Lawmakers' call

But Golez said it was up to lawmakers to decide when to go ahead with Charter change. "We'll leaving it up to Congress to tackle Charter change because it begins and ends there," he said.

Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday sought Ortega's commitment that the public would not be in for a "surprise" on the Villafuerte resolution and "wake up one morning with the Constitution already changed."

"That is correct. Personally, I do not like surprises," Ortega replied.

Supreme Court

Sought for comment, Majority Leader Arthur Defensor said there was "no way" that the Villafuerte resolution would skip the procedures of the House and go straight to the Supreme Court.

Himself a signatory to the resolution, Defensor said the measure would basically seek the high court's ruling on whether the Senate and House of Representatives should convene as a constituent assembly--and later vote--jointly or separately in amending the Constitution.

"Whatever happens, it will pass through the regular process of the House," he told the Inquirer.

"I signed the resolution because I was looking for a trigger mechanism that will force the hand of the Supreme Court to rule on the two basic issues."

Three modes

Convening Congress into a constituent assembly is one of the three modes of amending the Constitution. The others are the people's initiative and constitutional convention whose delegates are elected.

Ortega said the Villafuerte resolution would be referred to his committee in case it was filed and submitted to the plenary by the committee on rules headed by Defensor.

In HR 550, Mandanas noted that the 1987 Constitution "does not specify the need to call for a constituent assembly or joint session of Congress for proposals for amendments to, or revision of, the Constitution."

He instead went by the House rules, stating that "proposals to amend or revise the Constitution shall be by resolution which may be filed at any time by any member."

"The adoption of resolutions proposing amendments to or revision of the Constitution shall follow the procedure for the enactment of bills," says Section 140 of the rules.

Copy of resolution

Hontiveros challenged Villafuerte and Ms Arroyo's son, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo, to present a copy of the resolution to lawmakers opposed to Charter change.

"In light of the administration's attempt to evade accountability over charges of fraud and corruption, any attempt to unilaterally amend the Constitution by an administration-dominated House of Representatives spells term extension for (Arroyo)," she said in a statement.

Courting protests

The President's allies are courting a major protest action if they insist on tinkering with the Constitution, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said Tuesday.

Cruz said the public did not buy the congressmen's claim that they would only change the Charter's economic provisions once they convene Congress into a constituent assembly.

"That is a lie. What they would like to change is anything there that can make the incumbent person continue her tenure of office no matter under what title. Magulo 'yan (That will create trouble)," Cruz said at a news forum Tuesday.

He said he would not advise them to proceed with (the constituent assembly) and vote on it, then try to go to the Supreme Court. "If they do that, and I think that is the plan, this might be the trigger that I'm talking about," he added.

His contacts among the civil society groups have been telling him that "many groups are preparing" to move in case the House succeeds in turning itself into a constituent assembly in order to amend the Constitution, the archbishop said.

Cruz said lawmakers favoring Charter change could not attribute the poverty and corruption in the country to the Constitution's provisions.


By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer


Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Philippine Election History

National and Local Elections

  • 1946
April 23 - Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senatorial and Congressional Elections

  • 1947
November 11 - Local and Senatorial elections

Special elections for 3 members of the House of Representatives

a. First District Iloilo
b. Fifth District of Pangasinan
c. Lone District of Bukidnon

  • 1949
November 8 - Presidential, Vice-presidential, Senatorial and Congressional Elections

  • 1951
November 1 - Local and Senatorial Elections

  • 1953
November 10 - Presidential, Vice-presidential, Senatorial and Congressional Elections

  • 1955
November 8 - Local and Senatorial Elections

  • 1957
November 12 - Presidential, Vice-Presidential, Senatorial and Congressional Elections

  • 1959
November 10 - Local and Senatorial Elections

  • 1967
November 14 - Presidential, Vice-Presidential and Senatorial Elections

  • 1969
November 11 - Presidential, Vice-Presidential Senatorial and Congressional Elections

  • 1970
November 10 - Election of Con-Con Delegates

  • 1971
November 8 - Local and Senatorial Elections

  • 1978
April 7 - IBP Members Elections

  • 1979
May 7 - Sangguniang Pampook Members Elections (Region IX and Region XII)

  • 1980
January 30 - Local and Plebiscite Elections

  • 1981
June 16 - Presidental Elections and Referendum

  • 1982
May 17 - Barangay Elections

June 7 - Sangguniang Pampook Members Elections (Region IX and Region XII)

  • 1984
May 14 - Batasang Pambansa Elections

  • 1986
February 7 - Presidential and Vice-Presidential Special Elections

  • 1987
May 11 - Congressional Elections

  • 1988
January 18 - Local Elections

  • 1989
March 28 - Barangay Elections

  • 1990
February 12 - ARMM Elections

  • 1992
May 11 - Synchronized Elections

December 4 - Sangguniang Kabataan Elections

  • 1993
March 25 - ARMM Elections

August 30 - Special Elections for Members of the House of Representatives

a. 2nd District of Agusan del Norte
b. 1st District of Capiz

  • 1994
March 7 - Special Congressional Elections for 1st District of Rizal

May 9 - Barangay Elections

  • 1995
May 8 - National and Local Elecions

  • 1996
May 6 - Sangguniang Kabataan Elecions

September 9 - ARMM Elections

  • 1997
May 12 - Barangay Elections

  • 1998
May 11 - National and Local Elections

  • 2001
May 14 - National and Local Elections


source: http://www.comelec.gov.ph/

Sen. Lacson for 2010?

Sen. Lacson positioning self for 2010?

In a move seen to shore up his bid for a second crack at the presidency in 2010, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is joining the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) led by opposition stalwarts Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay.

A source said Lacson, erstwhile member of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), had "successfully concluded'' a months-long discussion with PDP-Laban into whose ranks he will be sworn this week.

The source, who asked not to be named for lack of authority to speak, said Lacson will be bringing along with him other LDP members like Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico, Representatives Ronaldo Zamora of San Juan and Carlos Padilla of Nueva Vizcaya, and ex-Representatives Butz Aquino of Makati and Benjie Agarao of Laguna who broke with then LDP party head Sen. Edgardo Angara four years ago.

Lacson left the LDP -- which had earlier splintered from PDP-Laban -- after Angara made the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. the party's standard-bearer in the 2004 elections without going through a selection process. Lacson's departure from the party and decision to run for president anyway was seen one of causes of Poe’s loss in the polls against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Lacson is expected to be rewarded with a key position in the party currently led by Pimentel as chair and Binay as president. Its roster includes Makati Rep. Teddy Locsin, Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, former Sen. Sergio Osmena and losing 2007 senatorial bet Aquilino "Koko'' Pimentel III.

PDP-Laban's membership is also expected to be bolstered with the entry of Parañaque City Rep. Roilo Golez and Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, both of whom are reportedly planning to run for the Senate in 2010.

by: Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

Saturday, May 17, 2008

2010 Presidential Polls 5-way race


2010 Polls a 5-way Race


The 2010 presidential elections will likely be a five-way race among Vice-President Noli de Castro, Senate President Manuel Villar, Senator Loren Legarda, Senator Manuel Roxas, and former President Joseph Estrada, in case he qualifies. And in case De Castro doesn’t get the support of the administration, the Lakas-KAMPI alliance will have a dark horse candidate, a political futurist said.

2010 Presidential Polls 5-way race
In a paper to be presented Friday at a forum organized by the Center for Philippine Futuristic Studies, Antonio Gatmaitan, head of the research outfit, Political Economic Applied Research Foundation, said there are nine other "early frontliners" for May 2010:

- Senator Francisco Pangilinan;


- Senator Francis Escudero;


- Senator Richard Gordon;


- Senator Gregorio Honasan;


- Senator Panfilo Lacson;


- Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay;


- Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte;


- Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Bayani Fernando; and


- Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.


Out of the 14 possible bets, De Castro, Legarda, Roxas, Estrada, and Villar have the track record to show they can get votes. De Castro, Legarda, Roxas, and Estrada have been "topnotchers" in past elections. Estrada, Roxas, and Villar "can raise money" for a credible campaign from their "family net worth", while Legarda and De Castro can access funds from major donors.

Read More...

By: Isagani de Castro Jr.
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak