Posts Tagged ‘News Clips’
Magdalo member launches campaign behind bars
VERA Files
March 29, 2010
FROM behind bars, former Lieutenant Senior Grade James Layug formally launched on Sunday his campaign to represent the second district of Taguig City in the House of Representatives with a motorcade by his supporters.
“It is my conviction to fulfill our hopes and dreams. We, the people of Taguig, should have better employment, improved healthcare, access to education and a drug-free community. These are my priorities for our district,” Layug issued the statement from his detention cell in Camp Crame.
Layug is a member of the Magdalo group of reformist junor officers who attempted to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in July 2003 in Oakwood , Makati and in November 2008 at the Manila Peninsula. He is facing charges of coup de’tat and rebellion in military and civilian courts.
Independent Layug is up against the incumbent Angelito “Jett” Reyes, who recently won his electoral protest against Henry Dueñas, who held the position for the more than two and half years; Liberal Party’s Freddie Tinga, currently Taguig mayor; Nacionalista Party’s Arvin Alit.
Reyes, who belongs to a local party, is the son of recently resigned Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, who is also trying to gain a House seat through 1-UTAK, party list group of transport players.
Tinga is the son of retired Supreme Court Justice Dante Tinga, who is running for mayor.
Layug said he has six advocacies that will be the foundation for his programs and policies. These are good governance, people empowerment, peace and order, social equity, justice and environmental protection and management.
Layug said, “Sana yung mga gustong mag-aral, makapag-aral. Yung umaasang makapag-trabaho, makapagtrabaho. Yung nangangailangan ng gamot ay makapagpagamot.”
In people empowerment, for example, Layug said he believes in the Filipino spirit of “bayanihan” as an instrument of change. He added that as a united citizenry, Filipinos can achieve great feats of nation building.
Layug’s campaign kicked off with a Palm Sunday mass at the Ina ng Dukha Parish Church at the Tenement area in Western Bicutan. Kabisig ni Layug community leaders, as well as Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago Movement local and national members, attended the event.
The mass was immediately followed by a motorcade and a door-to-door campaign.—Ellen Tordesillas
Sipalay candidates sign peace pact; acting mayor a no-show
VERA Files
By ELLEN TORDESILLAS
LOCAL candidates along with the Commission on Elections, the Church, and civil society groups signed on March 24 a covenant for peaceful elections in Sipalay, Negros Occidental, one of Western Visayas’ election hotspots.
Of the mayoral candidates, however, only detained former Marine Capt. and Independent candidate Gary Alejano showed up, escorted by military security.
A no show was his opponent, Acting Mayor Oscar Montilla, who is the mayoralty candidate of United Negros Alliance (UNA)-National People’s Coalition (NPC).
Alejano is detained at the headquarters of Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aquinaldo, but was allowed to travel to Sipalay only for the covenant signing. He was brought back to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City the next day.
Alejano is one of the junior military officers undergoing trial in civilian and military courts for their participation in the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny and the Manila Peninsula siege in November 2008.
News reports said Montilla sent word through his sister and vice mayoralty candidate, Maria Gina Montilla-Lizares, that he had important business to attend to in Manila, but is prepared to sign on his return the covenant which is an initiative of Project Honest, Orderly, Peaceful Elections, a multi-sectoral body composed of civic and religious leaders in Sipalay.
Lizares, also with UNA but aligned with the Liberal Party (LP), signed the covenant but didn’t stay long for the ceremonies which were held at the Sipalay City gymnasium.
Montilla took over the mayoralty post in an acting capacity from his mother Soledad, who is 80 years old and ailing. She, in turn, also became mayor after her brother, former mayor Rodrigo Chua, was killed allegedly by the communist New People’s Army while he was campaigning in 1987.
Alejano said in his remarks during the covenant signing, “I believe that God bestowed upon us the freedom to choose. Our vote is a sacred gift from Him. And therefore, we shall not disgrace Him by selling our votes, or for a candidate to buy votes, and to use any means to deprive others of their right to vote. Let us make Sipalay a peaceful, progressive and livable city which every Sipalaynon can be truly proud of.”
Among those who took part in the covenant signing were Rev. Fr. Numeriano B. Maquiran, Jr. of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente, chairman of Project H.O.P.E; Jessie Suarez, and Comelec provincial election supervisor, Negros Occidental.
Also represented in the signing of the covenant were the Department of Education, the Armed Forces, the Philippine National Police and the Sipalay chapter of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.
Aside from Alejano and Lizares, other candidates who signed the covenant were Alejano’s running mate, Bebsie Villegas (Independent) and the councilors on their ticket.
Magdalo for Villar, but with conditions
BY ASHZEL HACHERO
Malaya; February 25, 2010
MANNY Villar, presidential candidate of the Nacionalista Party, and Manuel Roxas, vice presidential bet of the Liberal Party, have gotten the support of the Magdalo group which said it could deliver at least 250,000 votes.
The “price” of the support: He will not enter into an alliance with President Arroyo; and he will pursue the Magdalo advocacy on poverty alleviation, anti-corruption, peace in Mindanao, and reform and modernization of the Armed Forces.
A third condition, according to Acedillo, is for Villar to allow other detained Magdalo members to serve in government.
Asked to explain if the condition — “malayang makapagsilbi ulit sa gobyerno an gaming mga kasamahan sa pamumuno ng aming chairman a si Sen. (Antonio) Trillanes IV” — means they would seek amnesty for the detained Magdalo members, Acedillo noted the Magdalo members are still undergoing trial for coup and rebellion. He said they might move for amnesty in the next administration.
The group also endorsed senatorial candidates from different parties, including former fellow military officers Danilo Lim of LP and Ariel Querubin of NP, who are facing court martial for a plot to overthrow the Aquino government in 2006.
Former Air Force 1st Lt. Ashley Acedillo, Magdalo national spokesman, said his group reached the decision after a nationwide consultation process with 400 national and local chapters which have at least 55,000 members.
Acedillo said Villar got 52 percent of the votes of the members and Aquino, or five more than Aquino.
Asked why the Magdalo chose Villar over Aquino, Acedillo said Villar has the competence, character and vision to lead the country.
“Consider this a personal bias, having come from the military. It goes without saying that there is a premium in leadership. The ability to lead the men under you, I think that played a big role,” he said.
Acedillo said the group’s endorsement of Villar and Roxas does not mean severing friendship with other candidates.
“Sina President Erap Estrada, Sen. Noynoy Aquino, Sen. Loren Legarda at Mayor Jojo Binay ay mga mabubuting tao at sila ay mga kaibigan ng Magdalo at mananatiling kaibigan sa kabila ng pag-endorsong ito,” Acedillo said.
The Magdalo late last year endorsed Sen. Francis Escudero, who later dropped out of the presidential race.
Acedillo dismissed reports that the Magdalo group was offered money by Villar in return for its endorsement.
“Sampal po sa amin yun kung may ganun at siguro naman kilala ninyo kami kahit nakakulong kami hindi kami tumanggap ng ganun. Gusto ko lang pong linawin na walang perang involved dito. Mayroon po tayong advocacy na pinaglalaban dito,” he said.
The Magdalo’s other senatorial candidates are Pia Cayetano (NP), Jinggoy Estrada (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino), Susan “Toots” Ople (NP), Gilbert Remulla (NP), Adel Tamano (NP), Ruffy Biazon (LP), Tito Sotto (NPC), JV Bautista (PMP), Joey De Venecia (PMP) and Bongbong” Marcos (NP).
Villar expressed gratitude to the Magdalo whose endorsement, he said, showed his being a “genuine oppositionist.”
“At inaasahan natin ang paglaya ng ating mga sundalong nagnais at patuloy na nagtutulak ng pagbabago sa bansa,” he also added.
Lim, a former general, thanked the Magdalo.
As to the Magdalo’s choice of presidential bet, he said he respects the choice. Lim is running under the LP and is an adopted candidate of the PMP. – With JP Lopez and Czarina Rufino