elections2010 – Page 3 – ellen tordesillas

Nonoy declares presidential bid

Published by Ellen on September 9, 2009

Tinatanggap ko ang hiling ng sambayanan.
Tinatanggap ko rin po ang tagubilin ng aking mga magulang.
Tinatanggap ko ang responsibilidad na ituloy ang laban para sa bayan.
Tinatanggap ko ang hamon na mamuno sa laban na ito.
Bayang Pilipinas, tatakbo ako sa pagka-pangulo sa darating na halalan.
Tutuloy po natin ang laban. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

With those words, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, declared his presidential bid for the 2010 elections in an morning press conference on the 40th day of the passing of his mother, President Corazon Aquino, at Club Filipino, the same venue where she took her historic oath on Feb. 25, 1986 after the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos.

FBI asked to investigate Mikey Arroyo

Published by Ellen on September 8, 2009

After Vera Files released the story on the property of the Arroyo brothers, Mikey and Dato, congressman sons of Gloria and Mike Arroyo, I received a lot of letters giving additional information on the family’s alleged hidden wealth.

By the way, I am a trustee of Vera Files, a group of journalists that undertakes a deeper look at current issues. I am one of the four writers of the articles “Arroyo sons acquire U.S. homes, businesses after election to Congress” and “Following the Mikey trail: 2004, 2007 declarations show no campaign contributions”.

One of the letters I got came from an American who is in the finance business. He asked that his identity be withheld. I’ll call him “Jay”.

SC okays poll automation

Published by Ellen on September 8, 2009

From ABS-CBN Online:

It’s full steam ahead to automate next year’s elections.

Voting 11-3-1, the Supreme Court junked the petition filed by University of the Philippines law professor Harry Roque to declare as invalid the P7.2 billion automation contract between the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and winning consortium Smartmatic and Total Information Management (TIM).

The ruling, penned by Justice Presbitero Velasco, is expected to be promulgated this week. Justices Antonio Carpio, Conchita Carpio-Morales, and Arturo Brion dissented. Justice Leonardo Quisumbing, who is on leave, took no part.

Two hearings

Published by Ellen on September 6, 2009

Last Thursday, while former Armed Forces Chief Generoso Senga, now ambassador to Iran, was testifying at a court martial trial in Camp Aguinaldo on the stirrings in the military in February 2006, members of the Magdalo group were at the Commission on Election for a hearing on their application for accreditation of Magdalo Para sa Pagbabago as a regional political party in the National Capital Region.

Questions asked of Former Air Force Lieutenant Ashley Acedillo, secretary general and spokesman for the Magdalo group, revolved around whether they advocate violence as a means to introduce change. ( Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV had wanted to be present in the the Magdalo’s case at the Comelec but he was not granted permission by the Makati Regional trial Court.)

Acedillo told Comelec commissioners that their participation in the election process is proof of their advocacy for reform through peaceful means.

Country Above Self

Published by Ellen on September 1, 2009

by Senator Mar Roxas

Country above self. Bayan bago ang sarili.Iyan ang habilin ng aking lolo, President Manuel Roxas.

Our nation is in trouble. Leadership is bankrupt. Institutions are in disarray. People are hungry.

Noynoy Aquino and I share the same outrage over the mess we are all in, the same way we share solution – clean, honest, selfless public service.

Marami at matindi and nga problem ng bansa. Kailangan nating ayusin. Matindi ang kalaban. We need a determined force for good far stroinger than the festering evil around us.

We need to fight just as our own fathers fought dictatorship, and just as both died believing that good will conquer evil.

Shaming the shameless

Published by Ellen on August 30, 2009

Aren’t you glad that there is a Miriam Santiago to say that the things we want to say but could not?

Who can say to Augusto Syjuco that what a fool he has made of himself “pasayaw-sayaw pa, kalbo na nga” using taxpayers money?

99.9 per cent shameful

Published by Ellen on August 28, 2009

Inquirer editorial

So pardoned plunderer Joseph Estrada is 99.9-percent sure of running for president again in 2010. He offers many rationalizations for his recklessly self-indulgent reentry into national politics, and not one makes logical sense—except, of course, to the man obsessed with vindication.

First, he offers the argument of unity. If he runs, he has said much too often, it will be because the opposition cannot unite behind a single candidate. We fail to follow Estrada’s logic. We assume he wants the opposition to wrest Malacañang from his People Power-ed successor. How will he do that when, by running for reelection, he further splits an already divided opposition?

Perhaps Estrada assumes that none of the other opposition candidates—not front-running Manny Villar, not popular Chiz Escudero, not well-funded Mar Roxas—can win the presidency outright. Surely, he is mistaken: the 2010 presidential poll is the opposition’s to lose.

Sen. Edward Kennedy and Philippine democracy

Published by Ellen on August 27, 2009

The passing away of President Cory three weeks ago and last Friday’s 26th death anniversary of her husband, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., brought back to mind the events of February 1986 when the world stood in awe as Filipinos linked arms, armed only with prayers and faith, to restore democracy in the country.

Yesterday, we were yet reminded of that glorious February with the news of the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the last surviving son of America’s political royalty.

Precious L. Javier, widow of the late Evelio Javier, the former Antique governor whose murder helped spark the outrage that led to the 1986 People Power, sent me the U.S. Congressional record of February 19, 1986 when American senators passed a resolution expressing their deep concern over the massive fraud that attended the Feb. 7, 1986 snap presidential elections.

Anak talaga ni Ninoy at Cory

Published by Ellen on August 26, 2009

Hindi pa sinasabi ni Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. ang kanyang desisyon kung siya ay tatakbo sa pagka-presidente na siyang panawagan ng iilang mga kolumnista at sinasabing eksperto sa pulitika.

Ngunit sa himig ng kanyang pananalita, parang natatanto ko na sa ngayon, mas nahihiling siya kung saan siya ngayon: sa Senado.

Guest si Noynoy sa “Strictly Politics” sa ANC noong Martes at sinabi niya na sa tatlong konsiderasyun na kanyang basehan ng kanyang desisyon.

Ang isa doon sa dalawa ay ang opinyun ng kanyang mga kapatid. Sabi ni Noynoy, hindi boto si Pinky at si Viel. Si Kris naman nagsabi siya noong ininterview siya sa Manila Memorial Park noong pansiyam na araw ng pagkamatay ni Pangulong Cory Aquino na “ayaw ni Mom” yan.

Making sure 2010 elections work

Published by Ellen on August 25, 2009

In a democracy, which the Philippines is, leaders are chosen through elections.

Elections must reflect the will of the people. A rigged election, like what happened in 2004, is an assault on democracy and a crime against the Filipino people. Gloria Arroyo and her cohorts must be made to answer some day.

It is for our concern for democracy in this country that we want to make sure that the will of the people is reflected in the 2010 elections. It is our outrage over what happened in the 2004 elections that we raise questions about how the Commission on Elections would conduct the first nationwide automated elections in 2010.

Category: elections2010