Namfrel 9:47 p.m. count: Zubiri ejects Cayetano from 10th

05/19/2007 | 11:20 PM
Team Unity senatorial candidate Juan Miguel Zubiri climbed to the 10th spot, dislodging Genuine Opposition senatorial bet Alan Peter Cayetano who landed in 11th place, according to the 9:47 p.m. tally Saturday of the National Citizen’s Movement for Free Elections.

Because of the shake-up, 11th-place dweller Antonio Trillanes IV dropped to the last spot of the Magic 12.

In its report No. 18, Namfrel said it has tallied 72,092 precincts of a total of 224, 748 or 32.08 percent of the total.

The top 12 are:

1 Legarda, Loren – 4,530,263
2 Escudero, Francis A. – 4,356,788
3 Lacson, Panfilo M. – 3,913,727
4 Villar, Manuel Bamba Jr. – 3,718,749
5 Pangilinan, Francis N. – 3,717,257
6 Aquino, Benigno III C. – 3,545,881
7 Angara, Edgardo J. – 3,368,814
8 Arroyo, Joker P. – 2,995,550
9 Honasan, Gregorio B. – 2,898,943
10 Zubiri, Juan Miguel – 2,848,482
11 Cayetano, Alan Peter P. – 2,791,541
12 Trillanes, Antonio IV F – 2,766,832

Bayan Muna leads Namfrel’s 5:34 p.m. party-list tally

Bayan Muna leads Namfrel’s 5:34 p.m. party-list tally
05/19/2007 | 07:52 PM
Namfrel’s party-list group tally as of 5:34 p.m.:

BAYAN MUNA – 72,935
GABRIELA – 71,256
BUHAY – 68,766
APEC- 48,668
CIBAC- 42,579
COOP-NATCCO- 42,579
A TEACHER – 38,004
AKBAYAN – 37,237
AMIN – 33,237
BUTIL – 24,573
KAKUSA – 24,515
ANAKPAWIS- 24,077
ABONO- 23,762
ALAGAD – 23,214
BATAS – 22,973
ANAD – 22,659
ABANSE PINAY – 22,232
ARC – 21,016
ABA-AKO – 17,464

Namfrel count, 5:34 p.m.: No change at 7-3-2 for GO bets

FIDEL JIMENEZ, GMANews.TV
05/19/2007 | 07:29 PM
Latest unofficial, partial count by the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) showed Genuine Opposition senatorial candidates glued to seven of the 12 top seats, leaving three seats to Team Unity bets and two to independent candidates.

The results were culled from 65,242 precincts, covering 29.03 percent of the 224,748 precincts nationwide.

As of 5:34 p.m., Saturday, Namfrel tally results showed that the first four slots remained occupied by Loren Legarda with 4,181,309 votes, Francis “Chiz” Escudero with 4,028,586 votes, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson with 3,644,891 votes and Manuel Villar Jr with 3,432,402 votes.

Dislodged by Villar was Pangilinan who was in fifth place with 3,422,350 votes.

Sixth place went to GO’s Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III with 3,286,331 votes.

The seventh place went to TU bet Edgardo Angara with 3,062,154 votes followed by another administration bet, Joker Arroyo with 2,717,216 votes.

Ninth place went to independent bet Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan with 2,662,027 votes. Tenth was GO candidate Alan Peter Cayetano with 2,590,440 votes followed by another opposition bet, Antonio Trillanes IV with 2,554,849 votes.

The twelfth slot was taken by TU bet, Juan Miguel Zuburi with 2,548,567 - 

Comelec count, 5 p.m.: 8 GO, 2 TU, 2 indies; Escudero leads

Comelec count, 5 p.m.: 8 GO, 2 TU, 2 indies; Escudero leads
AMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV
05/19/2007 | 06:54 PM
Similar to previous tallies, partial canvass results from the Commission on Elections as of 5 p.m., Saturday, showed that candidates from the Genuine Opposition dominate the Magic 12, cornering eight slots and leaving two slots to Team Unity bets and another two to independent candidates.

Four GO bets remained in the first four slots, with Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero leading the opposition with 1, 875,192 votes, followed by Loren Legarda with 1,875,112 votes, Panfilo “Ping” Lacson with 1,587,015 and Manuel Villar Jr with 1,533,207.

Liberal Party candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan was in fifth place with 1, 442,671 votes, followed by GO’s Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III with 1,378,937.

Independent candidate Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan was in seventh place with 1,241,628. The ex-military man was followed by eighth placer Alan Peter Cayetano of GO with 1,198,330 and ninth placer, Antonio Trillanes IV with 1,165,829.

TU bets Edgardo Angara and Joker Arroyo were in 10th and 11th place respectively. Angara earned 1,163,038 votes, while Arroyo got 1,125,456 votes.

GO bet Aquilio “Koko” Pimentel placed 12th with 1,038,463 votes. - 

Sun-Star Baguio: New city officials proclaimed

05/19/2007 | 05:27 PM
Amid charges of vote-buying, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared late Friday the winners in the local elections in Baguio City.

Sun-Star Baguio (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Saturday that the winners included Rep. Mauricio Domogan (Lakas-CMD), who beat councilor Jose Molintas.

Molintas had asked the board of canvassers to delay the proclamation on allegations of vote-buying by the Lakas-CMD, but the proclamation pushed through late Friday.

The official results showed Domogan beat Molintas by almost 10,000 votes. Domogan got 47,488 as against Molintas’ 37,865.

Acting Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. with 26,910 votes, won over acting Vice Mayor Leandro Yangot Jr., who got 17,647 votes.

Councilor Daniel Fariñas, with 21,709 votes, will return as presiding officer of Baguio City Council after inching up against fellow Councilor Faustino Olowan, who got 20,416 votes.

Other members of the city council include Rocky Thomas Balisong, former vice mayor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, Galo Weygan, Perlita Chan-Rondez, Nicasio Aliping, Antonio Tabora Jr., Erdolfo Balajadia, Nicasio Palaganas, Isabelo Cosalan Jr., Richard Cariño, Fred Bagbagen and Elaine Sembrano. - 

Comelec orders ARMM poll exec to give ERs to Namfrel

05/19/2007 | 09:17 PM
The Commission on Election (Comelec) on Saturday ordered the regional election director in Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao to furnish the National Movement for Free Elections a copy of the election returns (ERs) in Maguindanao.

Eric Alvia, secretary general of the National Movement for Free Election (Namfrel), provided media a copy of “urgent memorandum” issued by Commissioner Rene Sarmiento to ARMM regional director Ray Sumalipao.

The memo dated May 19, addressed to Sumalipao states: “Pursuant to the General Instruction for the Board of Election Inspectors on the casting and counting of votes and the General Instruction for the Municipal/City provincial and District Boards of canvassers on the casting and counting of votes for the May 14, 2007 elections, the citizen’s arm NAMFREL, must be furnished copies of both the Certificate of Canvass and the Election Returns for the purpose of conducting an unofficial quick count.”

Sarmiento is in charge in the conduct of election in Region 9 and ARMM.

Sumalipao was also ordered to inform all election officers under his jurisdiction about the instruction for immediate action.

With the memo, Alvia is hopeful that their field volunteers in Maguindanao can now get the copy of the ERs, which have been denied by Sumalipao. -

CBCP urges vigilance on canvassing

CBCP urges vigilance on canvassing

With conflicting reports about fraud and other criminal acts, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged the people to remain vigilant in guarding their votes.

“It is not enough for people to vote for they ought to exert efforts to have their votes are counted correctly,” CBCP Media Director Msgr. Pedro Quitorio said in a radio program.

He added elections are far from over as provincial canvassing in various parts of the country has barely begun.

“Worthy candidates may not be able to protect their votes by themselves and would need the people’s support,” Quitorio further said.

He added “whenever election results are altered through “dagdag-bawas” to favor losing candidates, the sanctity of the ballot is violated and the biggest losers are the voters themselves.”

He lauded the efforts exerted by thousands of PPCRV, NAMFREL-NASSA volunteers and various media entities who work so hard to make sure irregularities are minimized in this midterm elections.

While PPCRV was tasked to do poll watching and NAMFREL-NASSA with its Operation Quick Count, concerned citizens have continuously reported election irregularities using 3G mobile phones.

He added technology and people’s vigilance prevented whatever sinister plans from political operators and losing candidates.

“Everyone should remain vigilant until winning candidates are proclaimed,” Msgr. Quitorio concluded.

CBCP head welcomes Panlilio’s ‘exceptional’ victory

But still frowns on clergymen in politics
By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Visayas Bureau
Last updated 09:08pm (Mla time) 05/19/2007

ILOILO CITY–Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, on Saturday welcomed Fr. Eddie Panlilio’s election as governor of Pampanga but made clear that the Catholic Church was not encouraging the clergy to seek political office.

“My congratulations with sympathy go to Fr. Ed whom his folks in Pampanga will learn to call “Among Gov,” said Lagdameo in a one-page statement.

He said the governor-elect, who narrowly defeated the province’s political giants Lilia Pineda and reelectionist Mark Lapid, faces the challenge “to project a new politics, one that is first of all God-centered and based on moral values, not tainted by graft and corruption.”

Lagdameo said he expects the priest to be the “object of praise and criticism.”

“For some time he will be in focus: friends and enemies, people in the political divide will be looking at him,” said Lagdameo.

But the prelate noted that Panlilio’s victory came with “a very big sacrifice” of his priestly functions.

“Priests are ‘chosen by God’ for pastoral service of the people. Politicians are elected by the people for political service,” Lagdameo pointed out.

He said he sympathizes with Panlilio because the priest “is facing a new playing field for which he was not trained in the seminary–a political field, with all its embedded, ingrained and systemic political problems, many of which are even closely knit with gambling or jueteng [an illegal numbers game].”

But with the Catholic Church already facing criticism from administration supporters for interfering in politics, Lagdameo made it clear that that the Church frowns on clergymen running for public office.

“What happens with Fr. Panlilio in Pampanga is an exception, very exceptional indeed, and we want to keep it that way,” said Lagdameo.

He said what Panlilio did and can do “can certainly be done by some good lay person and even better.”

“The suspension from priestly functions which his Archbishop gave him, is to ensure that there (will) be no confusion between priesthood and politics, thus respecting the separation of Church and State. I would be one for discouraging any priest from running for public office,” said Lagdameo.

He pointed out that “priesthood as such is already a public, a pastoral, office with peculiar burden and function for the sanctification and salvation of the people.”

Lagdameo said Panlilio’s running for office is a call and a challenge to raise among the laity a new breed of political leaders.

“What he is responding to is something that laity must be challenged to respond to as their proper field of involvement,” the prelate said.

He urged Panlilio and all the winners of the recent elections “to prove the promises they made during the campaign period.”

“We hope and pray that they will be true and faithful to their promises. People must remind the winners in this recent election about their political promises,” Lagdameo added.

Romualdezes make a comeback

By Joey A. Gabieta
Visayas Bureau
Last updated 09:05pm (Mla time) 05/19/2007

TACLOBAN CITY–Leyte’s most well known political family is back in the political arena with three of its members easily winning in the midterm elections. And they achieved victory even without former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos coming over to campaign for them.

Lawyer-banker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez scored a lopsided victory against two political rivals in Leyte’s first district congressional race. His cousin, Alfred Romualdez, used to hold the 1st district congressional seat.

Alfred, son of outgoing Taclobann Mayor Alfredo “Bejo” Romualdez, easily won the Tacloban City mayoral post after getting twice the votes of his opponent, Dan Stephen Palami.

Alfred’s wife, actress Cristina Gonzales, also topped the race for the 10-seat Tacloban City Sangguniang Panglunsod.

But Ferdinand Martin downplayed speculation that their running and winning in this year’s election was just a prelude to the family’s plan to dominate Leyte’s politics again.

“We will take it one step at a time,” he told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

His elder brother, Philip, is reportedly eyeing the governorship, a post held by members of the Loreto-Petilla clan for the past 18 years now. Carlos Jericho Petilla won his reelection bid against Jimmy Yaokasin, governor/officer-in-charge during the term of President Corazon Aquino.

Prior to the entry of the young members of the Romualdez clan, the lone family member holding an elective position was outgoing Mayor Alfredo Romualdez who held the post for nine years.

Ferdinand Martin, whose entry to Leyte politics caused Malacañang to intervene by asking incumbent Rep. Remedios Petilla not to seek reelection, won by a wide margin against his opponents, Feliciano Clemencio, a former official of the Commission on Audit, and Danilo Chua.

Based on the tabulation of the Leyte board of election canvassers, Romualdez garnered 121,201 votes against Clemencio’s 16,504 votes and Chua’s 1,082 votes.

The first congressional district, composed of seven towns and Tacloban City, has 1,106 polling precincts and a total voting population of 220,924.

“I am humbled by the overwhelming support given to me by our people in the district. I know the expectations are high and I am willing to measure up to the expectations,” Ferdinand Martin said during the proclamation at noon Saturday, witnessed by his supporters, battery of lawyers and his father, former governor Benjamin Romualdez.

GO candidates dominate in the Visayas

By Joey A. Gabieta, Ma. Diosa Labiste, Carla Gomez
Visayas Bureau
Last updated 09:03pm (Mla time) 05/19/2007

CEBU CITY–Key Visayas provinces delivered the top slots in the Senate race to the opposition and Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla said he respects the decision of his province’s more than 900,000 voters to give most of their votes to candidates of the Genuine Opposition.

“The people have already spoken. We have to respect them. What was important was that the result of the elections showed the real sentiment of the people and there was no effort to thwart their will,” Petilla, who dropped from the senatorial race under Team Unity ticket to seek reelection, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Based on the official tabulation of the Commission on Elections in Leyte, six candidates from the opposition landed in the Magic 12 while only five from the administration-backed Team Unity made it. Sen. Francis Pangilinan took the other spot.

Loren Legarda topped the race in the province by garnering 325,040 votes, followed closely by another GO member, Rep. Francis Joseph Escudero who received 312,314 votes.

GO’s Manuel Villar (271, 440 votes) and Panfilo Lacson (257,810 votes) were in 3rd and 4th places while Benigno Aquino (241,851 votes), and Aquilino Pimentel (211,586 votes) ranked 8th and 12th. Pangilinan was ranked 5th with total votes of 250,117.

Sen. Edgardo Angara garnered the highest votes among TU candidates with 248,904 votes, making him number six.

TU candidates Joker Arroyo (225,510 votes), Ralph Recto (224,037 votes) and actor Cesar Montano (221,010 votes) occupied the 9th to 11th places.

It was Montano who replaced Governor Petilla who withdrew from the race and decided to run for his second term.

In Eastern Samar, the first five places were occupied by GO with candidates of TU getting the seventh up to the last ranking.

The first to fifth positions went to Legarda (89,517 votes), Escudero (82,310), Lacson (67,214 votes), Villar (65,938), and Aquino (60,012).

Pangilinan (59,493) ranked number six. TU candidates Montano, 58,027; Recto, 54,625; Arroyo, 53,966; Defensor, 52,966 and Angara, 52,860 occupied the rest of the slots.

In Iloilo, the GO senatorial candidates continue to dominate the top 15 slots in the senatorial race as Namfrel Iloilo prepares to wrap up its quick count on Sunday.

Eight GO bets landed in the top 15 slots, with Villar and Legarda clinching the first and second slots as of 8:15 p.m. on May 18.

Other opposition candidates who made it were Escudero, Aquino, Lacson, Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes and Pimentel.

Among the TU candidates who landed in the top 15 in Namfrel’s count were Mike Defensor, Edgardo Angara, Joker Arroyo and Miguel Zubiri.

Kiko Pangilinan, who ran an an independent, continues to have a strong showing in third place.

In Negros Occidental, the Comelec tally in the 31 towns and cities, except for Bacolod City, showed six GO senatorial bets in the top 12 slots, with five TU and one independent candidates.

The six GO candidates include Legarda (1st), Escudero (3rd), Aquino (4th), Villar (7th), Lacson (11th) and Pimentel (12th). The TU candidates on the top 12 were Zubiri (2nd), Angara (6th), Defensor (8th), Arroyo (9th) and Recto (10th). Pangilinan was in fifth place.