News
Civil society leaders appeal to kidnappers to free election commisioner’s son
By MINDANEWS
ILIGAN CITY.–Civil society leaders in Lanao have appealed to the kidnappers of Noraldin Yusoph, son of Elections Commissioner Elias Yusoph, to “immediately release” the victim.
Yusoph, 22 (not 24 as earlier reported), was abducted by still unidentified armed men while praying inside a mosque in Barangay Sabala Amanao, Marawi City.
SWS exit poll results close to prexy, VP official tally
RESULTS of the exit poll conducted by the Social Weather Stations for TV 5 correctly predicted the winners in the presidential and vice presidential elections, differing only from the June 8 official tally by the National Board of Canvassers by an average of less than 1 percent—0.4 percent to be exact.
The exit poll’s final result of 43.34 percent for Sen. Benigno Aquino III is only 1.25 percent larger than the final and official score of 42.08 percent, while its final score of 26.38 percent for former president Joseph Estrada is only 0.12 percent larger than the actual score of 26.25 percent.
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Human rights lawyer wins fellowship to France
THE Center for International Law (CenterLaw) Executive Director Romel Regalado Bagares has been awarded a prestigious fellowship by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of France under its “Programme d’invitation des personnalités d’avenir” ( Invitation Program for Personalities of the Future)
House hearings continue, poll ‘operators’ to appear before panel
By PAULINE DYCOCO and JONALYN FORTUNO
AS Congress convenes for the canvassing of votes today, the House investigation on poll irregularities will proceed as losing candidates continue to present “evidence” of fraud in the country’s first automated elections.
The Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms yesterday said it will invite people who allegedly offered to rig the results in favor a certain candidate for a certain fee.
Special elections in Samar village Saturday
By LEYTE-SAMAR DAILY EXPRESS
TACLOBAN CITY- The Commission on Elections in Eastern Visayas is preparing to hold special elections in Barangay Buenos Aires in Pagsanghan town in Samar on Saturday.
Samar Elections Supervisor Corazon Montallana said the event will be closely watched by the contending parties because it will determine the eventual winners.
Losing Sarangani town bet to Comelec: Nullify erroneous proclamation
By MINDANEWS
GENERAL SANTOS CITY.–An administration mayoralty aspirant in Maasim town in Sarangani province has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to immediately nullify the earlier proclamation of his rival due to alleged erroneous transmission of election returns from one of the polling precincts.
Defeated Maasim mayoralty candidate Arturo Lawa said on Friday that he filed a petition before the Comelec en banc in Manila to rectify alleged errors in the town’s voting results after the Municipal Board of Canvassers (MBOC) also allegedly failed to properly count the votes cast from clustered precinct number 21 of Barangay Kablakan in Maasim.
Aide denies losing bet ordered burning of houses in Maguindanao town
By MINDANEWS
KIDAPAWAN CITY.–The personal secretary of a defeated mayoral candidate in Montawal town in Maguindanao has vehemently denied their involvement in the burning of several houses in a barangay which took place on Sunday.
Abdul Karim said his employer, Datu Arkhan Matalam, son of a powerful clan in Maguindanao has no private army to carry out such thing.
Closely monitor May 28 special polls, group says
By JONALYN FORTUNO and PAULINE DYCOCO
WITH the upcoming special elections in 11 areas, a youth group is urging all sectors to continue monitoring the polls, especially in ensuring that all election returns (ERs) be accounted for.
“While these areas are now undergoing or are set to undergo special elections, we call on the public to remain vigilant against election fraud and violence,” Youth Vote Philippines said in a statement.
Maguindanao’s new gov wants special census: “physical count of people, one by one”
By CAROLYN ARGUILLAS
Mindanews
BULUAN, Maguindanao. – Governor-elect Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu is requesting the National Statistics Office (NSO) to have a special census for Maguindanao.
“I want a physical count ng mga tao (of people). One by one,” Mangudadatu said.
“Hindi naman ito (This is not about) vengeance,” he told MindaNews late Saturday afternoon in his brother’s residence. “Niloloko nila yung gobyerno eh (they’re fooling government),” he said.
Ismael Veloso Mastura, the reluctant candidate
By MINDANEWS
SHARIFF AGUAK , Maguindanao.– If Ismael “Dustin” Veloso Mastura, 39, had a choice, he would be happy running for vice mayor of Sultan Kudarat town. But fate would lead him to run for and win against the 68-year old warlord, Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr.
His uncle Tucao, who would have been proclaimed governor of Shariff Kabunsuan province in the 2007 elections but for a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court and the latter’s declaring its creation unconstitutional, had filed his candidacy for mayor of Sultan Kudarat town when Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, who was running for Governor, sought the Masturas for a running mate.