Vilma officially new governor of Batangas

By Marlon Alexander Luistro
Southern Luzon Bureau
Last updated 11:11pm (Mla time) 05/21/2007
BATANGAS CITY—The Commission on Elections proclaimed Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto as Batangas’ new governor yesterday at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan hall inside the provincial capitol here.

Lawyer Gloria Petallo, Comelec provincial supervisor, proclaimed Santos at 9:15 a.m. before thousands of supporters and political allies.

Official Comelec results showed that Santos, a Lakas-CMD bet, won in 5,840 precincts with 475,740 votes; followed by reelectionist Gov. Armando Sanchez, 349,969; retired general Nestor Sanares, 34,606, and Marcos Mandanas, 4,797 votes.

Santos won in all but six towns and Tanauan City, in Batangas province.

She also won in the province’s four congressional districts with 31 municipalities and three cities.

Santos, an actress turned politician, arrived at the venue at 9:05 a.m. greeted by her political supporters and fans, who occupied the jampacked hall’s bleachers.

As in previous occasions, Vilma’s proclamation turned into a fans’ day for Vilmanians as they took pictures of their idol using cell phone cameras.

Some capitol employees also stood and waited for hours at the session hall lobby just to see their idol.

In her speech after the proclamation, Santos thanked the Batangueños for their support but asked them to cooperate and help her in terms of governance.

“I’m happy because I won, but at the same time, public service is no joke. I’m not promising heaven and earth. Everything would only be effective if there would be teamwork. I need each and everyone of you,” Santos said, drawing loud cheers and applause from the audience.

Also present in the occasion were Vilma’s Lakas party mates, Board Member Chona Dimayuga, elected mayors—namely, Calaca Mayor Sofronio Ona, Malvar Mayor Cristeta Reyes, Rosario Mayor Felipe Marquez—and other political leaders in the province.

Santos finished her speech with her popular tagline, “I will just do my best and God will take care of the rest,” which she always used in her campaign in her past nine years as politician.

In an interview with reporters, minutes after her proclamation, Santos reiterated her thanks to the Batangueños for delivering her landslide victory in the polls.

“When you win without problems and you win by a big margin, you should be thankful enough,” Santos said, referring to at least 100,000 votes she had over Sanchez.

Santos said people voted for her not because she is an actress but because they like her development platforms and her nine-year performance as Lipa mayor.

Upon assuming office on July 1, Santos said she would consult with her department heads and different sectors of the province to discuss their concerns.

Sanchez, Santos’ main rival for the gubernatorial race, however, has not yet conceded defeat.

inquirer.net 

Protests mark poll end in North Luzon areas

By Estanislao Caldez, Carmela Reyes
Northern Luzon Bureau, Central Luzon Desk
Last updated 11:11pm (Mla time) 05/21/2007
TUGUEGARAO CITY—More than 500 residents here massed up on Wednesday in front of the office of the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao to contest reelectionist Cagayan Rep. Manuel Mamba’s reported lead in the third district congressional race.

The residents said Mamba, who was running against Tuguegarao Mayor Randolph Ting, benefited from alleged vote-padding in Tuao, Mamba’s hometown.

They were further agitated when Intoy Meman, Mamba’s chief of staff, started going around the city offering the lawmaker’s gratitude to residents through a public address system mounted over a vehicle.

Meman had to turn back when he saw the crowd gathering outside the archdiocese’s office.

Ting, who was leading over Mamba in earlier tallies, said they were prepared for a protest rally.

Discrepancy

Fr. Gerry Perez, Tuao parish priest and chief of the town’s National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel), discovered the 3,000 vote discrepancy credited to Mamba when he compared the Tuao certificate of canvass and the document released to the Namfrel.

But the archdiocese said it would stand by the latest Namfrel count.

In a statement it released to the Inquirer, the archdiocese pointed out that “no matter what the discrepancy there might be between our count and the count of others—official or not—we stand by our count, and in so doing congratulate and commend our volunteers for a job splendidly, if not heroically, done.”

“While Namfrel’s quick count results are unofficial… discrepancies may evidence irregularities, whether intended or not, whether constituting election violations or not,” it said.

Priest’s support

The statement was signed by Fr. Manny Catral, Fr. Gary Agcaoili, Msgr. Gerry Perez, Fr. Andy Gumangan, Fr. Ranhilio Aquino and Fr. Bernie Corpus.

The statement urged protesters “to observe the procedures for protests and contests provided for by law.”

A Tuao policeman said a Comelec official allowed late voters to proceed and cast their ballots inside a vehicle on Wednesday, two days after the elections.

The sources claimed these late voters account for the 3,000 votes favoring Mamba.

Bulacan tension

In Bulacan, policemen were sent to the Hiyas Convention Center in Malolos City on Wednesday morning to secure the provincial canvassing center following reports that supporters of rival politicians would disrupt the proceedings.

Early Wednesday, a fire broke out at an office at the provincial capitol here. The capitol is about 300 meters from the convention center.

SFO2 Manuel Lopez of the Malolos fire station said no one was hurt in the fire but documents, files and computers at the capitol’s accounting office were destroyed after the fire started at 4:30 a.m. The office was located at the second floor of the capitol.

Lopez said firemen put out the fire at 4:45 a.m., preventing it from spreading to the other offices.

No losers

The leading gubernatorial candidates, former Gov. Roberto Pagdanganan and Board Member Joselito Mendoza, brother of outgoing Gov. Josefina de la Cruz, were both claiming victory amid the slow canvassing of votes in the province.

Both camps have traded accusations of engaging in fraud.

Pagdanganan claimed the fire was started by his rivals to destroy documents and files that may point to irregularities in the provincial government.

But Gov. De la Cruz said she and her brother were not behind the fire, noting that they would not gain anything from destroying documents and files in the accounting office at the capitol.

“We do not have any motive to destroy the files. Anyway, each computer file [had] back up kept inside a safety vault,” De la Cruz said.

She said they do not have any reason to cheat as her brother was winning against Pagdanganan.

“They are having a hard time to accept that my brother, who is a village chair, can defeat [Pagdanganan],” she said.

10,000 lead

She said her brother posted a 10,000 vote lead over Pagdanganan in the count of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and Namfrel on Wednesday.

She said they were worried about the delay in the submission of election returns from various cities and towns in Bulacan. With a report from Frank Cimatu, Northern Luzon

Senators May 18,2007 6:00 PM

1PANGILINAN, Francis N.12,062
2LEGARDA, Loren B.12,019
3RECTO, Ralph G.10,436
4AQUINO, Benigno Simeon III C.10,077
5VILLAR, Manuel, Jr. B.9,229
6ANGARA, Edgardo J.8,619
7LACSON, Panfilo M.8,142
8ESCUDERO, Francis Joseph G.8,073
9PIMENTEL, Aquilino L.7,997
10ARROYO, Joker P.7,642
11CAYETANO, Allan Peter S.7,035
12SOTTO, Vicente III C.6,756
13ROCO, Sonia M.6,139
14DEFENSOR, Michael T.6,043
15HONASAN, Gregorio B.5,684
16OSMEÑA, John Henry R.5,442
17MAGSAYSAY, Vicente P.5,341
18ZUBIRI, Juan Miguel F.4,893
19COSETENG, Anna Dominique M.4,780
20MONTANO, Cesar M.4,391
21TRILLANES, Antonio IV F3,520
22GOMEZ, Richard I.3,489
23SINGSON, Luis C.2,812
24ORETA, Teresa Tao A.2,700
25PICHAY, Prospero, Jr. A.2,574
26CAYETANO, Joselito P.1,665
27WOOD, Victor N.1,553
28CHAVEZ, Melchor G.1,499
29BAUTISTA, Martin D1,478
30PAREDES, Zosimo Jesus II M.1,286
31SISON, Adrian O.1,064
32KIRAM, Jamalul D862
33LOZANO, Oliver O.803
34ESTRELLA, Antonio L.713
35CANTAL, Felix C.408
36ORPILLA, Eduardo F.354
37ENCISO, Ruben C330

6 days after E-Day: All eyes on Panlilio

05/20/2007 | 11:57 PM

All eyes Sunday were on newly proclaimed Pampanga governor Father Ed Panlilio, whose unprecedented victory in the elections drew mixed reactions from the Church.

He might have the best intention of erasing Pampanga’s notoriety of being the country’s “Vatican of jueteng,” but bishops advised Panlilio to remember that he will be running the province with people who could bite him back.

Msgr. Pedro Quitorio III, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) spokesman, said that while Panlilio’s entry to politics offered fresh hopes for Pampangueños, he still has to deal with other local officials who may have benefited from jueteng.

“This is a very temporary euphoria. We’ll have to see his performance, if he would be able to eliminate jueteng. (His) intention is very good but performance is different,” Quitorio said in a telephone interview.

He said jueteng is already “embedded” in the lives of people in Pampanga, especially among government officials, thus eliminating it would be a big challenge for a political neophyte like Panlilio.

Church split on return to priesthood of Panlilio

Former CBCP President and Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz for his part said Panlilio has to be “very careful” of his choice of advisers because bad ones may “contaminate” his noble intentions.

“These are the big impediments along his way. He has no single political party (so) everybody will ally with him. He may get his hands soiled,” Cruz said in another telephone interview.

Cruz, nevertheless believed that Panlilio is “not dumb” and thus could discern if some of his advisers are leading him astray.

Panlilio was proclaimed Pampanga governor on Friday beating political giants Lilia Pineda and former governor Mark Lapid. He was suspended from his priestly duties after filing his candidacy for the gubernatorial post.

Returning to the priesthood for Pampanga governor-elect Fr. Ed Panlilio after his term ends in 2010 may be easier said than done, a senior Catholic bishop said Sunday.

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said that while Church law allows a return to the priesthood “on paper,” the record of priests actually allowed back to the fold is not encouraging.

“Hindi tinatanggap ng Roma, basta lumabas ka na at humingi ng dispensa o dismissed ka wala nang balikan (Rome will not likely allow your return. Once you leave or are dismissed, there’s no turning back),” Cruz said in an interview on DZXL radio.

Panlilio on Saturday said he plans to return to the priesthood once his term ends in 2010. He defended his decision to run for governor, in the face of an “extra-normal” situation.

But Cruz said that even in Panlilio’s home province of Pampanga, the clergy and some of the faithful are “split” on whether it was proper for Panlilio to have entered politics in the first place.

“Ang question, kung siya ay tatanggapin uli. Hati ang Katoliko sa Pampanga. Natabunan siya ng putik, pati ang kaparian hati, maraming ayaw siyang pumasok (The question is whether he will be accepted back. Catholics in Pampanga are split as of now. A lot of mud had been thrown at him during the campaign. Even the priests there are split, many of them don’t want him to enter politics),” he said.

“Nasa obispo kung tatanggapin siya. Kung ako ang obispo di ko tatanggapin (It will be up to the bishop to decide whether to take him back. But if I were the bishop I won’t),” he added.

Panlilio had defeated the political surrogates of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her home province but on Saturday he said he wanted to serve as governor for only one term so he could remain a priest.

He said he ran to offer a “listening, transparent and accountable” government, and there was “no other alternative” to his rivals Lilia Pineda and Mark Lapid, both close Arroyo allies.

“Kaming mga pari under normal situation di dapat pumasok sa pulitika. Pero extra-normal ang situation sa Pampanga. Walang napisil na Kapampangan na mangunguna sa krusadang ito,” he said in an interview on DZRH radio.

(We priests in normal situations would not want to enter politics. But the situation was extra-normal in Pampanga. No one wanted to challenge Lapid and Pineda.)

Despite the objections of some fellow priests and even bishops, Panlilio sought the support of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in his new “dual role.”

“Narito na yan … Sana naman (Now I’m here as governor-elect. I hope I get the CBCP’s support), I need all the support I can get from all sectors of life,” he said.

“May nilabas silang pastoral statements on good governance, environmental degradation, corruption. The CBCP just articulated, nakita ko gagampanan ko a step forward, to implement actual advocacy,” he added.

(The CBCP has come out with pastoral statements on issues like good governance, environmental degradation and corruption. I believe I am here to take it a step forward, to actually implement its advocacy.)

On the other hand, Panlilio said he does not plan to run for reelection. He said that after his term ends in 2010, “hopefully I go back to the ministry as soon as possible.” - GMANews.TV

Comelec count: Iloilo’s best pick is Kiko, 6 GO, 5 TU bets

05/19/2007 | 04:17 PM

One who is from the Liberal Party and did not run under a ticket, six from the Genuine Opposition and five from the Team Unity are the top 12 senatorial candidates in Iloilo province, latest data from the Commission on Election’s National Board of Canvassers showed.

LP bet Francis “Kiko” Pangilina topped the senatorial race in Iloilo with 94, 810 votes, followed by three GO bets on the second to fourth slots respectively – Francis “Chiz” Escudero with 91,170 votes, Manuel Villar Jr with 90, 956 votes and Loren Legarda with 85,617 votes.

TU bet Michael Defensor was in fifth place with 83,158 votes, followed by Go candidate Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino in sixth place with 81, 460 votes.

The seventh to 10th slots were taken by TU candidates Eduardo Angara with 77,411 votes, Joker Arroyo with 77,347 votes, Juan Miguel Zubiri with 73,620 votes and Ralph Recto with 69,412 votes.

Meanwhile, the 11th place went to GO bet Panfilo “Ping” Lacson with 64,357 votes and another opposition candidate, Alan Peter Cayetano with 57, 941 votes. – Amita, Legaspi, GMANews.TV

SunStar: Comelec canvassers ‘arrested’ in Cebu

05/20/2007 | 10:45 AM

To their shock, members of the board of canvassers in Bogo town in Cebu made history of sorts by being arrested inside the provincial capitol Saturday night.

Sun Star Cebu reported Sunday that lawyer Jojie Decal, who represented congressional bet Benhur Salimbangon, conducted the “citizen’s arrest” amid claims of “electoral sabotage” during the counting.

It said Decal approached board chairman Gallardo Escobar and members Mohammad Abdulrashid and Genoveva Sevilla during a recess and told them, “You are under arrest.”

She then turned over the canvassers, who were having their meal at the time, to a Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) team led by Chief Insp. Rex Dirilo.

But the three refused to be “escorted” out of the social hall where the canvassing for provincial votes was held. Escobar said they will not move until Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional director Rene Buac arrived.

The board denied allegations of sabotage.

“We were very transparent, we even allowed the video showing. We are shocked. We haven’t had time to eat lunch, and now they want to arrest us?” said Escobar.

Escobar also said they had planned to reconvene the board and start doing partial tabulations, after which they will inhibit for fear for their lives.

He noted that Abdulrashid already received death threats.

Acting provincial election supervisor Lionel Castillano arrived in a few minutes, and requested the CIDG officers to wait for Buac. Buac arrived at the scene past 9 p.m.

From 9:30 to 11 p.m., Buac and the three members of the Bogo board of canvassers conferred at a table. Castillano was seen offering proposals to end the stalemate.

The incident caused the canvassing for Mandaue City, which was scheduled to start at 8 p.m., to be postponed for Sunday morning.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of Salimbangon’s supporters held a rally inside the Capitol compound. They urged the special board of canvassers to stop the proceedings, citing “massive cheating.”

Decal accused the board of canvassers of denying all the protests they filed against discrepancies in the number of votes cast.

She said the denial of their petitions last Friday also caused a ruckus at the Capitol hallway, where Salimbangon led supporters in voicing out their complaints against the board.

The incident Friday night prompted the suspension of canvassing.

On the other hand, the “citizen’s arrest” came hours after Capitol consultant Byron Garcia presented to the media and the board what he said was video footage of ballot boxes “delivered suspiciously” at the session hall at least two days after all the rest were brought to the new canvassing venue, heavily guarded.

For their part, lawyers for Bogo Mayor Celestino “Tining” Martinez III, Salimbangon’s opponent, said they will look into the case before commenting.

Buac asked Salimbangon’s camp for their basis and proof for doing the arrest as there is no citizen’s arrest based on electoral fraud.

But Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s daughter, lawyer Cristina Garcia, said Buac should not intervene because the matter is no longer a Comelec matter but a police matter.

Some 30 supporters from the Martinez camp watched from a distance. The rallyists brought placards and a sound system.

Salimbangon himself demanded that the canvassing be stopped and called upon the Comelec to appoint a new chairman of the board of canvassers “who is not biased.”

Cebu provincial police director Sr. Supt. Carmelo Valmoria told the crowd that they are exercising maximum tolerance and will disperse them if they will become violent.

Hours later, a glass window in the old social hall where the canvassing was done was shattered, after a stone from the supporters hit it.

A splinter hit the wrist of one of Martinez’s lawyers, who requested not to be named to avoid further trouble. – GMANews.TV

Panlilio braces for ‘temptations’

05/21/2007 | 07:44 AM

Will his priestly training allow Pampanga governor-elect Fr. Ed Panlilio to overcome the temptations of corruption presented by contractors for various “development” projects?

Panlilio admitted Monday he is now bracing himself for an onslaught of contractors who will likely approach him for various projects that may include kickbacks.

“Wala pang ganoon pero inaasahan na iyan (So far we haven’t been approached but we’re preparing for that to come). And we will be dealing with it very professionally,” he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

So far, he said those who have been approaching him and his camp include “well-meaning” parties offering him security assistance.

Last weekend, Panlilio said he was still on guard lest followers of his political rivals fulfill threats to harm or kill him.

While Panlilio’s rival Mark Lapid already conceded and promised to help him, another rival, Lilia Pineda, still questions the outcome of the gubernatorial election.

“May nagpaparamdam na, nagpe-present in a good sense. Mostly security, more on advocacy kasi (We have received feelers from some parties but in a good sense. Most of them offered to help me in terms of security. They know much of my platform is based on advocacy),” Panlilio said. - GMANews.TV

Politics eyed in murder of Ilocos mayor, councilor

05/21/2007 | 07:39 AM

Even as it formed a task force to handle the case, police are eyeing politics as the most likely motive behind the killing of a newly elected mayor and councilor in Ilocos Norte Sunday.

SPO2 Marcelo Corpus, acting police chief of Bacarra town in Ilocos Norte, ordered the local police force to trace the affiliation of the gunman, who was also killed in the incident.

Radio dzRH reported Monday that at least five civilians, including a nine-year-old boy, were wounded in the incident that killed mayor-elect Philip Velasco and councilor-elect Marcelo Andaya.

Investigators have so far recovered 24 shells of cal-.45 and 9-mm pistols from the crime scene.

Velasco and Andaya were attending a farmers’ fiesta celebration in Bacarra shortly before midnight Sunday, when the gunman struck.

Radio dzBB earlier reported that the incident took place at the local auditorium, as Velasco and Andaya joined in the farmers’ “thanksgiving” celebration.

Security aides of the two victims managed to fire back at the suspect and killed him, but police said they have not identified the suspect as of 5 a.m. Monday.

Last April 28, a similar assassination took place in San Carlos City in Pangasinan, when a gunman shot and seriously wounded mayor Julian Resuello during a fiesta celebration.

Resuello died two days later. He was buried Sunday.

Bacarra is a fourth-class town in Ilocos Norte, with a population of 29,668 people in 6,289 households. - GMANews.TV

Gunman kills 2 winning bets in Ilocos Norte town – report

05/21/2007 | 06:18 AM

A winning mayoralty candidate and a winning councilor bet were shot dead Sunday night as post-election violence erupted in Bacarra town, Ilocos Norte.

Killed by an unidentified gunman were mayor-elect Philip Velasco and councilor-elect Marcelo Adaya.

They were attending a farmers’ fiesta celebration in Bacarra shortly before midnight Sunday.

Radio dzBB reported that the incident took place at the local auditorium, as Velasco and Andaya joined in the farmers’ “thanksgiving” celebration.

Security aides of the two victims managed to fire back at the suspect and killed him, but police said they have not identified the suspect as of 5 a.m. Monday.

At least one bystander was “slightly wounded” in the incident, police said.

Last April 28, a similar assassination took place in San Carlos City in Pangasinan, when a gunman shot and seriously wounded mayor Julian Resuello during a fiesta celebration.

Resuello died two days later. He was buried Sunday.

Bacarra is a fourth-class town in Ilocos Norte, with a population of 29,668 peoplke in 6,289 households. – GMANews.TV

2 Cebu mayors in lamppost scam meet contrasting fate in polls

05/20/2007 | 08:54 PM

The two mayors who were suspended because of their alleged involvement in the overpriced purchase of P365-million worth of decorative lamp posts for the 12th Asean summit met contrasting fates as the canvassing of votes wrapped up in Metro Cebu Sunday.

While suspended Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza was reelected for a second term, Mayor Thadeo Ouano of Mandaue City saw the end of their family’s 18-year political dominance.

Ouano’s son Jonkie, who is running for mayor, finally conceded defeat to his opponent Jonas Cortes, himself the scion of the family who once ruled the city for decades before the Ouanos. Early canvassing results showed Cortes winning by some 14,000 votes and he is expected to be proclaimed as winner late night Sunday.

“The people of Mandaue have made their decision and I respect their choice. I have to go on,” the young Ouano said. His father Thadeo served as mayor from 1998 to present. The mayor’s father Pedong served as city chief executive from 1988 to 1998.

The third Metro Cebu mayor who was involved in the preparation for the summit but whose name was not dragged into the lampposts controversy, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, won comfortably in his territory.

Radaza, on the other hand, won by over 14,000 votes over his vice mayor now acting Mayor Norma Patalinghug and is expected to be absolved of his administrative cases. - GMANews.TV