Days after announcing his presidential bid, Pamatong seeks to disqualify three of his rivals – former defense chief Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. and senators Manny Villar and Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Teodoro, Villar, and Aquino should be excluded from the presidential race after they violated the previous ban on premature campaigning for 823 days, Pamatong claimed in a petition filed late Monday.

The self-proclaimed international lawyer was pertaining to the SC ruling reversing its decision dated September 11, 2009 that decriminalizes any political activities done before the start of the campaign period.

In the Sept. 11 decision, the justices voted 8-7 to disqualify Santa Monica, Surigao del Norte mayor Rosalinda Penera when she held a motorcade after filing her candidacy on November 30, 2006 for the May 2007 elections.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, a motorcade is considered a political activity.

SC spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez said the justices, voting 9-5, ruled that the conduct of political activity such as broadcasting infomercials before the start of the campaign season should be considered as “an exercise of the candidates’ freedom of expression.”

“While the split ruling in Penera vs. Comelec was reversed on November 25, Sec. 80 of the election code and the September 11, 2007 Penera vs. Comelec ruling was very much in effect from July 2007 to November 25 – a period of 823 days,” he said.

But Pamatong said although this may have “retroactively cleansed,” the respondents of criminality, their “moral turpitude and evil character” was contrary to the intentions of the Omnibus Election Code.

“All the respondents have knowingly ignored or disregarded this legal position taken by the Comelec and the Supreme Court to level the playing field between the poor and the rich,” said Pamatong, who once caused an uproar five years ago by throwing metal spikes along EDSA, Metro Manila’s busiest thoroughfare.

“Do you really think that allowing the elites to campaign for as long as they want really fair?” he added.

Petition seeks Pacquiao, Lapid disqualification

In a separate petition, Pamatong also called for the disqualification of pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao who is seeking a congressional seat in Saranggani and Senator Lito Lapid who is seeking reelection.

Quoting Justice Isagani Cruz, Pamatong said Pacquiao and Lapid should be prevented from running in 2010 because they are just “unqualified professional entertainers.”

“Both Pacquiao and Lapid are politically blind, being unschooled in the art of governance and politically leadership. We cannot just simply hold our hands akimbo and idiotically watch our republic being feasted upon by these power-hungry political pedestrians who want to grab everything in sight,” he said.

After weeding out the nuisance candidates and settling the disqualification cases, the Comelec said it will come out with the official list of candidates by the end of December. – RJAB Jr., GMANews.TV

“Hindi po panahon ng eksperimento ngayon, panahon na ng subok na liderato at yan po ay maibibigay namin sa ilalim ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD (This is not the time for experimentation, it’s time for tested leadership and Lakas-Kampi-CMD can give you that),” Teodoro told reporters.

Teodoro was welcomed by his supporters who had set up mini-stage outside the Commission on Elections (Comelec) national office, where they performed a short program in support of the former Cabinet secretary.

The Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer came with his vice presidential bet, actor-turned-politician Edu Manzano and his senatorial bets broadcaster Rey Langit and Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, who is also head of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

Manzano said whatever the Filipinos are looking for in a leader can be found in Teodoro.

“Ang kanyang track record ay subok na, ang kanyang liderato ay subok na (His track record is tested his leadership is also tested),” he told reporters.

Teodoro, however, said that he is confident that the voters will be able to discern this for themselves.

He added that despite his low ratings in recent surveys, the former secretary said nothing is for sure yet. “We will run our campaign not on the basis of negatives but on the basis of positives,” he said.

And even though they do not have a complete senatorial slate, Teodoro said this is “best” for the party. “Ito ang pinaka-optimal para sa partido namin, na sa tingin namin kayang ipanalo (This is the most optimal situation for our party wherein we will be able to win),” he said.

So far, the Lakas-Kampi-CMD has only four senatorial candidates: Langit, Guico and reelectionists Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Manuel “Lito” Lapid. But Teodoro said they are not closing their doors on adopting guest candidates.

“We will have to determine that because there are a lot of those who are running who deserve to be elected or reelected to the senate,” he said.

Earlier, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said she was invited as a guest candidate under the Lakas-Kampi banner, but Teodoro did not mention her.

If elected, Teodoro said he will have no specific priority but that he will push for reforms in education, peace process, disaster reduction, and the economy, among others.

Meanwhile, Teodoro said he expects President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who recently declared her intention to run as representative in Pampanga, to help the party in their campaign in the province.

“Kung siya ang administration candidate, natural lamang iyon, makakatulong din ang pangulo sa aking kampanya sa Pampanga (If she is an administration candidate, that is just natural, the President will be able to help our campaign in Pampanga),” he said. – LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

Filipino web user Renante Nate asked this question through GMANews.TV: “Papayag ka ba na sa buong panahon ng iyong panunungkulan, lahat ng iyong ari-arian, mga tinatangkilik, maging ng iyong mga mahal sa buhay ay mananatiling frozen? Samakatuwid, your financial growth should be proportional to the economic performance of the country. Ano? Kakagat ka ba?”

Watch the video for Teodoro’s answer.

“Napili kayo ng partido niyo na maging standard bearer kasi winnability daw po and patuloy kayong nage-express ng loyalty kay Pang. Arroyo. Pero sa huling mga survey, medyo nangungulelat pa rin po yung percentage ninyo. So aaminin niyo ba na talagang mabigat na bagahe si Pang. Arroyo sa inyo pong darating na kampanya?”

Watch the video for Teodoro’s answer.

Salceda, who will be seeking his second term in next year’s elections, said he would run under the administration banner to “repay our collective gratitude” to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

“I am running under the party of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo because in the history of Albay no administration has so generously help us in achieving social and economic development,” said Salceda, who is President Arroyo’s economic adviser.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri last week said about 40 percent of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD members had left the party partly due to Teodoro’s lackluster performance in presidential surveys.

Zubiri is Lakas-Kampi’s vice president for Mindanao.

Salceda last Friday was accompanied by Teodoro when he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Salceda declared his full support to Teodoro, saying the former Defense chief possesses an excellent credentials and experience to be the country’s next president.

“The post of Defense secretary makes a good president, citing Presidents Ramon Magsaysay and Fidel V. Ramos who both occupied a defense portfolio before they were elected president,” he said.

Salceda in his speech following the submission of his COC said he would launch an aggressive and more advanced socio-economic strategies that would place the province among the country’s economic road map for investment and tourism.

“We are launching a new, more advanced and forward-moving socio-economic projects designed to catapult Albay into one of the country’s progressive provinces and to become a California in 30 years,” he said. - GMANews.TV

Nacionalista Party (NP) standard bearer Senator Manuel Villar Jr., the only prominent presidential candidate who has yet to announce his running mate, said Manzano’s partnership with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. is a good match.

“I suppose magiging exciting ang labanan (The race will become more exciting),” the senator said on the sidelines of the Kapisanan ng ng Brodkaster ng Pilipinas top level management conference in Tagaytay City.

However, Villar maintained that his still unnamed candidate–rumored to be Senator Loren Legarda–is better. “Nasa bayan na kung sino ang magugustuhan nilang ihalal (The public will decide who they want to elect),” he said.

Senator Legarda also wished Manzano well.

Meanwhile, Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, the Liberal Party (LP) vice presidential bet, said Manzano is a worthy opponent. “I trust that Filipinos will choose their candidates based on a strong platform for real change,” Roxas said.

With the announcement of Teodoro’s running mate, the LP is assuming that Villar and Legarda will team up for the 2010 polls, said LP spokesperson Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III.

“The tandem of Noynoy [Aquino] and Mar [Roxas] will have to work hard to maintain the trust of the people all the way to election day,” Tañada said in in a text message.

Aquino and Roxas have been taking the top spots in recent public preference surveys.

Earlier in the day, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno–who previously declared his vice presidential ambition, only to later withdraw from the race –announced that Manzano will be Teodoro’s running mate. [See: Edu Manzano chosen as Gibo's VP]

Manzano is the former chairman of the Optical Media Board chairman and has served as vice mayor of Makati City.

Puno, whom Manzano said he considers a “mentor,” paved the way for the formation of the Teodoro-Manzano tandem.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita had earlier said other personalities that were considered to become Teodoro’s running mate were Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, and Legarda. – Johanna Camille Sisante and Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV

Actor and television host Edu Manzano will be the vice presidential bet of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, according to party vice chairman and Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

Teodoro, who remains lagging in presidential preference surveys, said Puno was instrumental in convincing Manzano, former chairman of the Optical Media Board (OMB), to run with the Defense chief in the 2010 national elections.

Puno, center, said he initiated the talks that led to the formation of the administration’s Teodoro-Manzano tandem for the 2010 polls. Mark Adrian

“I would like to introduce to all of you this morning someone whom Secretary Teodoro has accepted to be his runningmate and [a] person who has accepted the challenge of standing beside Secretary Teodoro in the quest to become the next president of the Republic of the Philippines and him the next vice president of the Republic of the Philippines. No other than former OMB chairman Edu Manzano,” said Puno at a press conference on Friday at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

Teodoro said he was very pleased that Manzano accepted the invitation to become his running mate.

“Ang agenda namin pareho. Nag-uumpisa kami ng fresh. Nag-uumpisa kami dahil naniniwala kami sa prinsipyo ng Lakas-Kampi-CMD (Our agenda is the same. We are starting out fresh. We are starting this because we believe in the principles of Lakas-Kampi-CMD),” Teodoro said.

Manzano said Puno “played a very big role” in convincing him to run for vice president and support Teodoro all the way.

“You may not be of the knowledge that the good Secretary [Puno] has been like a mentor to me, and when he told me ‘kausapin mo si Gibo,’ (talk to Gibo) even before speaking to Secretary Teodoro I have already expressed my respect for Secretary Teodoro and my belief that he possesses all the qualities that are necessary to move this country forward,” Manzano said.

“I would like to hitch my wagon on that of the good Secretary and be part of his team na siyang isusulong ang kinabukasan ng mamamayang Pilipino (that will work for the future of the Filipinos),” added Manzano.

The former OMB chairman told reporters after the press conference that he only finalized his decision on Thursday even though he and Puno have been discussing the idea months ago.

Aside from his discussions with Puno, his conversation with Teodoro two days ago wherein they discussed their plans for the country convinced him that he wanted to become the Defense chief’s running mate, Manzano said.

A surprise move

Manzano’s decision to join the ruling party surprised politicians. It was earlier reported that he would run as senator under the LP.

“I have to tell everyone that Secretary Puno played a very big role on convincing me. I have on many occasions expressed my respect for Secretary Teodoro, and I believe that he possesses all qualities to move this country forward,” Manzano said.

LP campaign manager Florencio “Butch” Abad said his party was “surprised with the news.”

“Maybe the pressure was so much that he cannot resist it,” said Abad in an interview with GMANews.TV on Friday.

Abad said Manzano earlier committed to join the LP and was supposed to be included in the party’s senatorial slate. Asked if this would pose a problem to the LP lineup, Abad said LP was only two names short of its senatorial slate.

“One name may be out but many other names are being considered,” Abad said, noting that Manzano’s chances would be better if he would run in Senate.

Unmatched intelligence

It took a while before the ruling party was able to pick its vice presidential bet. Manzano was among the four individuals being considered by the administration to become Teodoro’s running mate.

The three others were Sen. Loren Legarda, vice presidential bet of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Tourism Secretary Ace Durano, and senator-actor Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

Teodoro said Manzano would be the best running mate because of his “unmatched intelligence,” and his genuine concern for the youth.

“Lamang sa public service (noong sya) ay nag-vice-mayor…sa ibang larangan…naipagpatuloy niya ang pakikibaka (para sa) pagkakaisa…Matindi ang…advocacy niya sa para sa mga kabataan…Ang moral rectitude…ng mga kabataan ay pinangalagaan niya bilang OMB chair,” said Teodoro.

(He led in public service when he was vice mayor. In other fields, he was able to continue his fight for unity. He has strong advocacy for the youth. He was very concerned about the moral rectitude of the youth when he was OMB chair.)

No legal hindrance

The 54-year-old Manzano, who was born in the US, sees no legal hindrance in his candidacy. The Supreme Court has already dismissed a petition questioning the actor’s qualification to run for public office because of his citizenship.

Lawyer Sixto Brillantes agrees. He said a ruling from the high tribunal says that even though a person is born in another country, he or she may still be considered a natural-born citizen of the Philippines if his or her parents are both Filipinos. Manzano’s parents are both Filipino.

“That’s okay. Being born there (in America) makes you an American citizen, but you’re still a natural-born citizen,” Brillantes told GMANews.TV in a phone interview on Friday. – Johanna Camille Sisante, Kim Tan, Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV

A report on government-run dzRB radio said Teodoro made the announcement at an ambush interview shortly before a speaking engagement in Baguio City.

In Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde on Sunday said they have prepared replacements not only for Teodoro but also for other Cabinet members who may quit because they will run in 2010.

“Meron na kaming napag-usapan pero hanggang sa ma-appoint natin, hindi pa final yan. Handa na tayong palitan ang member ng Cabinet na aalis for one reason or another (We have discussed replacements for Teodoro but until the appointment is announced, the decisions are not final. We have discussed the matter and we are ready to replace any Cabinet member who will leave for one reason or another),” Remonde said on dzRB radio.

The Palace has already replaced Cabinet members who resigned from their posts so they can run in the 2010 elections.

Among those who had resigned and were replaced were Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. (Public Works, replaced with Victor Domingo); Avelino Razon Jr. (presidential peace process adviser, replaced with Annabelle Abaya); Ralph Recto (National Economic and Development Authority, replaced with Augusto Santos); and Eduardo Manzano (Optical Media Board Chairman, replaced with Ronnie Ricketts).

Ebdane is running for president while Razon is running for Manila mayor. Recto and Manzano are running for senator.

On the other hand, Secretary Angelo Reyes (Energy) is reportedly running for Taguig City mayor, while Jose Atienza Jr. (Environment) has the endorsement of pro-life Church groups to run for president.

But Remonde indicated there will not be many new faces in the Cabinet, saying they will try to get replacements from within the ranks of the executive department.

“Not necessarily bagong mukha. (It is) practical na as much as possible, we get in the ranks lang para di kailangan ang adjustment (Changes in the Cabinet will not necessarily mean new faces. It is practical that as much as possible, we get those from the ranks so there will be no need for adjustment),” he said.

Remonde said that in his case, he plans to stay on in the Cabinet as he has settled down to his job as Press Secretary.

“I have decided to serve the President until end of her term as Press Secretary if she still wants me, if she still wants to give me another post request ko na dito ako as Press Secretary (I will request to remain as Press Secretary),” he added.

Puno

Remonde declined to comment on reports that Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno will quit the Cabinet even if he has backed out of the race for vice president.

He said that as of late Friday, Puno was in Mindanao to supervise police operations for the rescue of abducted Irish priest Michael Sinnott.

Puno had accused the Moro Islamic Liberation Front of abducting Sinnott. The MILF had denied the allegation and demanded a retraction.

As far as I know, he’s still very active in performing his function as Secretary of Interior and Local Government, Remonde said.

Atienza

Remonde similarly declined to comment on reports that some Catholic bishops want Atienza to run for president because of Atienza’s pro-life stance.

Some sectors see Atienza, a political ally of Mrs. Arroyo, as a possible threat to Teodoro as administration candidate. Atienza, however, is allied with the Liberal Party.

“I don’t want to see any ill motive. Whether we like it or not, Sec. Atienza is one of the more prominent public servants in our country especially before as mayor of Manila,” Remonde said.

But he also took a dig at Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Benigno Simeon Aquino III, who has been in favor of the reproductive health bill,which promotes, among others, the use of artificial methods in family planning.

The Catholic Church has lobbied strongly against the RH bill.

“If ever there is a move to have Atienza run for president I’d rather see it as a strong message from the Church that they don’t want candidates like Noynoy who are identified with the RH bill,” Remonde said. - GMANews.TV

Durano said he would not run against senators Manuel “Mar” Roxas of the Liberal Party and Lorna Regina “Loren” Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition because two vice presidential aspirants are his allies.

“Si Senator Mar, mentor ko na ‘yan since my first term as congressman. Si Senator Loren naman, kapartido ko sa Nationalist People’s Coalition,” said Durano in a text message to GMANews.TV on Saturday.

(Senator Mar has been my mentor since my first term as congressman, while Sen. Loren is my partymate.)

Durano, who has been serving the Arroyo Cabinet for several years now, was the spokesperson of the ruling party in the 2007 elections. He was appointed as acting general manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority in May 2008. He served as representative of Cebu’s fifth district, the bailiwick of his family, from 1998 to 2004.

The Tourism chief is one of the four being eyed by Lakas-Kampi-CMD party as vice presidential running mate of Teodoro, according to party leader and executive secretary Eduardo Ermita. The others are Legarda, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and former Optical Media Board chair Edu Manzano.

But Durano might run for senator. “No plans to run for VP, but I am thinking about running for the Senate.”

He said he would give voice to the interest of of the “underrepresented” sectors in the Visayas and Mindanao if he would be elected to the Senate. – ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV

“Eh di mapapahaba ang honeymoon ko, dahil lalong mapapadali ang kandidatura (I’ll have longer time for my honeymoon because my campaign will be easier),” said the newly-wed Sen. Manuel Roxas, vice presidential running mate of Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer, Sen. Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Roxas says he is confident of victory because his promises are based on the party’s platform, which the administration allegedly doesn’t have.

“Ang kagandahan at katangian ng Partido Liberal ay nakatuntong kami sa matibay na bato ng plataporma. Nakita naman natin na sa lahat ng isyu ay iisa lamang ang tinatahak ng aming partido. Hindi papalit-palit, hindi pabago-bago. Parati dun sa matuwid. Parati dun sa mabuti,” said Roxas during Friday’s event organized by the LP in Cubao, Quezon City.

(We, in the Liberal Party, are standing on a strong platform. We have shown that we are on the right path. We are not fickle-minded, we are always on the side of what is good and right.)

Loren Legarda, the vice presidential bet of the Nationalist People’s Coalition is also unruffled.

The senator does not see anyone as a threat as she believes that she has the qualities to win the race. “We are battling hunger, poverty and climate change. I invite all presidential and vice presidential candidates for a climate change alliance,” Sen. Legarda told GMANews.TV in a text message on Friday.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, another vice presidential wannabe from the United Opposition, thinks that Mrs. Arroyo will “spell trouble” to the government if she will be part of the next administration.

“How can the next administration focus on addressing the problems that Mrs. Arroyo will leave behind when you could still have her plotting ways to remain in power? What the country needs is a vice president who won’t plot behind the back of the president and will sincerely care for the poor,” said Binay.

Meanwhile, a leftist fisherfolk alliance, urged allies of President Arroyo to stop proposing to the chief executive the idea of running as vice president or congresswoman of Pampanga.

“Why push her to run as Vice President or congressional representative in the second district of Pampanga, if she cannot even win the barangay chairmanship in La Vista, Quezon City or in any given barangay in Lubao, Pampanga?” said the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) in a statement.

Citing the October 2-8 survey conducted by Ibon Foundation, Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap said only 17 percent of President Arroyo’s townmates in Pampanga were in favor of her running for the second district of the province.

Results of the survey revealed that while 77 percent of respondents were very much aware and convinced that Mrs. Arroyo would seek a seat at the House of Representatives in 2010, 44.6 percent of those surveyed rebuked the President’s reported plan to run for Congress next year. – AMITA O. LEGASPI, GMANews.TV