Roxas urges Tarlac folk to back Noynoy

Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II asked the people of Tarlac on Tuesday to help the presidential campaign of their kabalen, Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Roxas encouraged the residents of Concepcion, Tarlac to convince their relatives, friends, and acquaintances to vote for the Liberal Party's standard bearer.

“For the next 90 days, can we expect you to convince at least one or two people to vote for Senator Aquino? If you do believe that Senator Noynoy is our best choice for the president, you will donate your P1 text to campaign for him,” Roxas told the crowd during the Liberal Party's kickoff campaign rally at the Concepcion Public Market.

Roxas said that Aquino and the Liberal Party need their help to win the elections in May.

“The more people we convince to support Senator Noynoy, the better is his chance to right the wrongs of the government,” he said.

Meanwhile, Roxas criticized opponents who resort to makeovers to enhance their image, tinting their hair or resorting to plastic surgery.

“We all know that imaging is faking something that is real. I do not want our campaign to go down to this level because Senator Aquino is liked not because of his mere looks but most of all because of his heart,” he said.

Roxas also said that Aquino doesn’t need to match the amount spent by their opponents, especially Sen. Manuel Villar of the Nacionalista Party, on campaign advertising.

“This campaign will stand on character versus cash. It is Senator Aquino's personality and character that matter. And I believe the people are mature enough to determine which is real and otherwise,” Roxas said.

Aquino said his team will polish a message-driven campaign.

“It'll be hard to keep up with our closest rival especially on advertisements given 10 to one ratio. What we will do is to have more presence. We will also make sure our message is clearer and more focused,” Aquino said.

Gordon, Bayani turn on the charm
When you don’t have the same resources as your opponents in the presidential campaign, what do you do to project yourself as the “transformers” who will bring change in government?

Bagumbayan presidential candidate Sen. Richard Gordon and vice presidential candidate Bayani Fernando resort to charm and wit and their talents at singing and dancing.

At the launch of their campaign last Tuesday, a sortie in vote-rich Cavite province, Fernando gave away CDs of his song, entitled, “May BF ka na ba?” which is his new catch phrase.

“May BF ka na ba? Ako na lang," Fernando told reporters, who quickly bantered that the "Transformers" tandem of the Bagumbayan party offered a BF and a Dick, which is Gordon's nickname.

Fernando said the Gordon-Bayani tandem will try to be more creative to compensate for the lack of cash to use in advertising and paying off celebrities to endorse them.

Even Gordon, who by nature is averse to singing and dancing in election campaigns, sang "Imagine" by John Lennon to court voters.

The lyrics “You might say I'm a dreamer, I'm not the only one and I hope someday you will join us” are particularly apt for Gordon and Fernando.

The Gordon-Bayani tandem led hundreds of supporters in a motorcade through Cavite, where Gordon said the Philippine Revolution won its first victory.

"This is where we won the first victory of the revolution and today we gain the first victory of the country. We will return our sense of country and we'll start here where we've won our first victory," Gordon said. (David Cagahastian)

Brother Eddie cries political discrimination
Bangon Pilipinas Party standard bearer Bro. Eddie Villanueva yesterday decried as political discrimination the cancellation by park authorities of a planned political rally on February 13 in Luneta, Manila.

“We would have wanted to hold a proclamation rally on Feb. 13 but it was canceled The (Luneta Park) staff said ‘Ma'am got angry because it might become a political rally’,” Villanueva said in a press briefing after their kick-off rally in Luneta where they unfurled the biggest flag in the Philippines.

“But of course it's a political gathering. Why do they have to prevent the use of Luneta Park? Are they afraid to see that we can fill Luneta Park and disprove what the (pre-election) surveys say?” he said.

Mar Roxas upheld as LP head

he Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Manuel “Mar” Roxas II as party president as it junked the petition of renegade LP members led by former environment secretary Jose “Lito” Atienza Jr.

The high court, in a unanimous vote (with one abstention) affirmed the Commission on Elections’ decision to uphold Roxas’s election on Nov. 26, 2007 as party president as well as the party’s decision to expel a group of “pro-administration” members led by Atienza.

Atienza along with Representatives Matias Defensor Jr. of Quezon City, Rodolfo Valencia of Oriental Mindoro, Danilo Suarez of Quezon, Solomon Chungalao of Ifugao, Antique Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez, former representatives Harlin Cast-Abayon of Northern Samar and Melvin Macusi of La Union and former LP director general Eleazar Quinto had asked the high court to nullify their expulsion from the party as well as Roxas’ presidency.

“The Comelec did not gravely abuse its discretion when it upheld Roxas’ election as LP president but refused to rule on the validity of Atienza et al’s expulsion from the party,” the high tribunal declared, referring to the poll body’s resolution last June 18, 2009.

It said Comelec was right to rule on the legitimacy of Roxas’ election because this was part of its function to register political parties and to recognize their legitimate leaders.

The Comelec was also correct in not touching the issue of Atienza et al’s expulsion, the court said in a decision penned by Associate Justice Roberto Abad.

“Under the circumstances, the validity or invalidity of Atienza et al’s expulsion was purely a membership issue that had to be settled within the party. It is an internal party matter over which the Comelec has no jurisdiction,” the Supreme Court stressed.

The court did not give way to Atienza’s claim that they were denied due process when they were expelled.

“Such expulsion is for the moment an issue of party membership and discipline in which the Comelec can not intervene, given the limited scope of its power over political parties,” it said.

“The Comelec’s jurisdiction over intra-party disputes is limited. It does not have blanket authority to resolve any and all controversies involving political parties. Political parties are generally free to conduct their activities without interference from the state. The Comelec may intervene in disputes internal to a party only when necessary to the discharge of its constitutional functions,” it added.

The Comelec has already listed re-electionist Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim as the LP candidate and Atienza as an independent candidate.