By Tina Santos
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–While anti-government groups are trying to find ways to unseat President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, activist priest Robert Reyes has chosen “exorcism” to “rid the government of evil spirits.“

Reyes, also known as the “running priest” for jogging in support of social causes, performed exorcism rites on Monday in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) building in Manila, and also prayed for peaceful and credible barangay (village) elections on October 29.

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By Inquirer Northern Luzon Bureau, Southern Luzon Bureau, Central Luzon Desk, Mindanao Bureau

MANILA, Philippines–While the enthusiasm generated by the national elections in May has died down, candidates for the Oct. 29 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections have been trying to perk up the electorate by using time-tested campaign gimmicks.

Some candidates have resorted to merrymaking — complete with Ati-Atihan dancers and motorcades of jeepneys, pedicabs and tricycles — to introduce themselves to voters.

Others opted to conduct an anti-rabies vaccination campaign and free measles immunization for children.

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By DJ Yap
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Candidates running for barangay (village) or Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) posts in Makati City were warned not to violate election laws on the posting of campaign materials, lest they get fined.

The city government of Makati, through its environmental services department, also asked the candidates to minimize the use of campaign posters and to post them only on exterior walls allowed by the Commission on Elections.

“These campaign materials are eyesores and we do not want our city to be littered with them,” city environment department chief Danilo Villas said on Thursday.

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By Inquirer

CABANATUAN CITY–The practice of courting the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cristo, a religious organization known to practice bloc voting, is not the exclusive domain of candidates for national and local government positions.

In the run up to the Oct. 29 synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections, some candidates for SK positions have started seeking the endorsement of local INC ministers to push their candidacies.

Early start

A candidate for SK chair in a northern Nueva Ecija city said she went to the office of the local INC minister to seek his help in her candidacy.

She said her father, who knows the minister, accompanied her and together they asked for an endorsement of her candidacy to the young members of the group.

The minister, she said, was non-committal and said he would study her request.

The candidate, a senior high school student who declined to be identified to avoid accusations of early campaigning, said she knew that other candidates in their village, both for the SK and barangay council elections, have already approached the minister to seek his endorsement.

Influence

“I was told that the members of INC deliver solid votes. That was the reason why we approached the minister. His endorsement will be a big help for me since there are many members of his group in our village,” the candidate said.

In Isabela, the police have tightened security preparations for the barangay and SK elections in at least 199 villages where communist rebels are known to be operating.

Senior Supt. Dominador Aquino Jr., Isabela police director, said he has ordered an intensified monitoring of these villages to stop any violent incident in the run up to the elections.

“We have to work on this matter because the police have been [one of the] primary forces against communist rebels,” he said.

Aquino said the villages they are watching are in the towns of Benito Soliven, Echague, Jones, San Mariano and San Agustin. Anselmo Roque, Inquirer Central Luzon, and Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon

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By Charlie Señase
Inquirer Mindanao Bureau

COTABATO CITY–Acting Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Resurreccion Borra has reminded provincial, city, and town poll officials to disseminate resolutions pertaining to the October 29 barangay (village) and youth polls.

“It is imperative that candidates in the Barangay and the Sangguniang Kabataan elections and the public in general are aware of the Comelec guidelines,” said city election registrar Arlan Mangelen in paraphrasing Borra’s latest directive.

Significantly raised was Comelec Resolution 8230 which pertains to the use of campaign and other propaganda materials of which a candidate is only allowed to spend P3 per voter.

Mangelen said poster sizes should not exceed two feet by three feet and must only be displayed within the designated common poster areas.

The Comelec official also reminded candidates of the October 18 deadline for the filing of their certificates of candidacy.

While the liquor and gun bans are being enforced until November 13, the Comelec has set the campaign period from October 19 to 27.

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By Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has accredited the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) as its citizen’s arm for the October 29 Barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections.

In a resolution, the Comelec en banc granted the PPCRV’s August 10 petition seeking accreditation.

The Comelec said that it has considered PPCRV’s commendable participation in past electoral exercises as well as its commitment toward honest, clean, credible, and peaceful elections, for its accreditation of the group.

It added, the PPCRV has also sufficiently complied with the Comelec’s accreditation rules.

The Comelec said that the PPCRV will conduct poll watching and assist voters in various precincts, and assist the Comelec in providing voter’s information and values education in municipalities, cities and provinces. Beverly T. Natividad

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By Inquirer

DAGUPAN CITY–A candidate for village chief was shot dead in front of his furniture shop in Tayug, Pangasinan, on Tuesday even as more areas were placed under police watch in the run up to the barangay and youth elections on Oct. 29.

Tayug police chief Supt. Sotero Soriano Jr. said Jaime Tolentino, 57, who filed his candidacy for barangay captain of Carriedo in Tayug on Monday, died instantly after men aboard a motorcycle shot him at about 12:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Tolentino’s 24-year-old son, Marlon, who was sawing a piece of wood in their shop, was wounded when a stray bullet hit his right leg.

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By Leila Salaverria
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Jailed opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has asked the Supreme Court to reverse a Makati court decision and allow him to attend Senate sessions and other official functions.

Trillanes, who is in jail on coup d’etat charges in connection with the July 2003 Oakwood mutiny, also asked the high court to stop the military from preventing him from seeing his Senate staff, resource persons and guests at his detention cell at the Marine Barracks of Fort Bonifacio.

Named respondents in the petition were Makati regional trial court Judge Oscar Pimentel; Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr.; Marine Commandant, Major General Benjamin Dolorfino; Navy Flag Officer in Command, Vice Admiral Rogelio Calunsag; and Marine Barracks Manila commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Luciardo Obeña Jr.

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By Charlie Señase
Inquirer Mindanao Bureau

COTABATO CITY–After almost five months of waiting, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has finally proclaimed three winning candidates in this year’s gubernatorial race in Shariff Kabunsuan province.

In July, Governor Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) appointed provincial officers-in-charge while waiting for the Comelec’s proclamation of winning bets.

The proclamation was delayed by the election protest lodged by opposition gubernatorial bet Tocao Mastura and his partymates.

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By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified at least 4,511 villages throughout the country as hotspots for the upcoming October elections, PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. said Tuesday.

At the same time, Razon said the PNP will work with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to ensure that the barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) polls will not be disrupted by threat groups like the communist rebels, terrorist groups and private armies of some politicians.

Razon presented a report on the October 29 elections to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during Tuesday’s meeting of the National Security Council in Malacañang. He said he will submit the same report to the Commission on Election Wednesday.

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