On May 13, Filipinos will cast their ballots to choose the country’s next set of lawmakers and local government officials. Among the more than 18,000 positions to be filled are 12 senators who will impact, if not determine, the course of the nation’s policies in the coming years.
In this series, VERA Files Fact Check compiled relevant information on this election’s Senate hopefuls to aid the public in making their decision.
From the Commission on Elections’ 62 candidates, we narrowed the list down to 40 based on the following criteria:
- Reelectionists;
- Members of, or those backed by political parties; or
- Candidates that have made it at least once in the top 12 of pre-election surveys conducted by independent pollsters Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations.
The 40 candidates were grouped based on their Senate experience–those with and those without–then arranged alphabetically. Each profile contains the candidate’s legislative platform, government experience or field of expertise, issues and controversies faced, relatives in government and other interesting facts.
Also included are the pertinent fact checks of, or related to the candidate, as done by VERA Files Fact Check and its media and academic partners in the Tsek.ph collaboration.
Part 5 of the series covers seven candidates — businessman Luther Meniano, doctor Willie Ong, lawyer Dado Padilla, former Sulu 2nd district Representative Lady Ann Sahidulla, former Quezon Province 4th district Representative Erin Tañada, ex-political adviser to the president Francis Tolentino, and former Education Undersecretary Butch Valdes.
Here are some facts you need to know:
Luther “Lot” Meniano, businessman
“Doc” Willie Ong, former DOH Consultant
Diosdado “Dado” Padilla, former TESDA Deputy Director General
Nur-Ana “Lady Ann” Sahidulla, former 2nd District of Sulu Representative
Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III, former Quezon 4th District Representative
Francis Tolentino, former Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs
Antonio “Butch” Valdes, former Education Undersecretary
Sources:
Luther “Lot” Meniano
Luther Meniano, Curriculum Vitae
Commission on Elections, Luther Meniano Certificate of Candidacy
Personal Facebook Account, Luther Meniano
GreenPhil Aqua-Culture and Hydroponics Website, Message of the President/CEO
ABS-CBN News Youtube, Harapan 2019: The ABS-CBN Senatorial Town Hall Debate, March 3, 2019
ABS-CBN News Youtube, DZMM Teleradyo: SINO KA BA? – Luther Maniano, nagpakilala sa ‘DZMM Ikaw Na Ba?’ Feb. 12, 2019
ABS-CBN News Youtube, DZMM TeleRadyo: ISYU, IT’S YOU – Bernard Austria, Jonathan Baldevarona at Luther Maniano, Feb. 12, 2019
ABS-CBN News Youtube, DZMM Teleradyo: KONTRA-BERSYA – Austria, Baldevarona at Maniano sa mga usapin sa kanila, Feb.12, 2019
News5Everywhere Youtube, Luther Meniano, March 27, 2019
Permanent Court of Arbitration, The South China Sea Arbitration, July 12, 2016
Official Gazette, Executive Order No. 2 “Freedom of Information,” July 23, 2016
“Doc” Willie Ong
Commission on Elections, Willie Ong Certificate of Candidacy
Official Facebook Page, Doc Willie Ong
Personal Facebook Account, Willie T. Ong
ABS-CBN News Youtube, Harapan 2019: The Senatorial Town Hall Debate, Feb. 17, 2019
Inquirer.net Youtube, Dr. Willie Ong files COC for Senate bid, Oct. 10, 2018
Esquire Mag Website, “We should uplift the conversation. Should I change myself in order to please them to get the votes?”-Dr. Willie Ong, Senatorial Candidate, March 19, 2019
Philstar, Doc Willie: Health sector needs voice in Senate, March 16, 2019
GMA Public Affairs Youtube, Investigative Documentaries: Doc Willie Ong, tututukan ang problemang pangkalusugan ng mga Pilipino, March 29, 2019
Rappler, Dr Willie Ong runs for senator, banks on ‘10M FB followers’, Oct. 11, 2018
ABS-CBN News, Online star Willie Ong expects 5M votes from social media followers, March 6, 2019
GMA News Online, Pasay medical museum shows how epidemics shaped history, Oct. 8, 2012
Official Facebook Page, Co Tec Tai Medical Museum
Philstar, Bisitahin ang unang medical museum sa Pilipinas, Sept. 3, 2009
Health and Lifestyle, Dr. Willie T. Ong
Manila Bulletin, The Social (Media) Doctor, March 24, 2019
ABS-CBN News, Dr. Willie Ong finds Universal Health Care bill wanting, Nov. 29, 2018
Diosdado “Dado” Padilla
Dado Padilla Campaign Team, Curriculum Vitae
Commission on Elections, Dado Padilla Certificate of Candidacy
Official Facebook Page, Atty. Dado Ortiz Padilla for Senator
Official Website, Atty. Dado Padilla
Official Facebook Page, MRRD NECC
Official Facebook Page, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas
Nur-Ana “Lady Ann” Sahidulla
DZMMTeleradyo, “Sahidulla: I am the princess of the poorest of the poor, ng masa…,” Dec. 11, 2018
CNN Philippines YouTube channel, “The Filipino Votes: Senatorial Forum Part 6,” March 24, 2019
GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel, “Kahirapan at mataas na singil sa kuryente, sosolusyonan ni Princess Lady Ann Sahidulla,” March 29, 2019
House of Representatives website, “House Bills@DOWNLOADS Center,” n.d.
Official website of Congresswoman Lady Ann Sahidulla, “About Lady Ann,” n.d.
ICRC hostage
ABS-CBN News online, “Sulu vice-gov ready for probe on P50K for Abus,” July 20, 2009
GMA News Online, “DND chief, senator seek probe of Sulu exec’s role in ICRC kidnapping,” July 16, 2009
Philstar.com, “DOJ: Let PNP probe Sahidulla on ‘goodwill money,’” July 18, 2009
Philstar.com, “Teodoro wants Sulu vice governor probed,” July 17, 2009
Senate of the Philippines website, “No need to investigate Sulu Vice Gov Sahidulla,” July 19, 2009
Senate of the Philippines website, “Statement of Sen. Pimentel on probe of Sulu Vice Governor Lady Anne Sahidulla,” July 19, 2009
Senate of the Philippines website, “Statement of Senator Richard Gordon regarding Proposal to Sulu Vice Gov. Lady Anne Sahidulla,” July 17, 2009
Misdeclared SALN
ABS-CBN News, “Ex-Sulu lawmaker on misdeclared SALN case: I was politicized,” Dec. 11, 2018
Ombudsman of the Philippines website, “Ombudsman indicts ex-Sulu officials for SALN violation,” Dec. 14, 2017
SunStar Philippines, “2 ex-Sulu execs face charges,” Dec. 17, 2019
Ces Drilon release
ABS-CBN News online, “Emissary: Ces Drilon cried for help,” June 13, 2009
Philstar.com, “DOJ: Let PNP probe Sahidulla on ‘goodwill money,’” July 18, 2009
Senate of the Philippines website, “REVILLA STATEMENT ON CES DRILON RELEASE,” June 18, 2008
Citizen National Guard
Citizen National Guard official Facebook Page, “About,” n.d.
Citizen National Guard website, “Who We Are,” n.d.
VERA Files, “Why the Citizen National Guard should be taken seriously,” Oct. 8, 2017
Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III
http://teampilipinas2019.org/erintanada/
https://www.otsodiretso.ph/tanada.php
http://www.congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=7114&key;=tanada
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/241462/7-House-members-who-may-seek-a-Senate-seat-
Laws, Bills
- Congress.gov.ph, House Bill 4826, 13th Congress
- Congress.gov.ph, House Bill 2844, 14th Congress
- Congress.gov.ph, House Bill 5709, 14th Congress
- ABS-CBN News, Tanada: Some lawmakers ‘misguided’ on FOI bill, Jan. 29, 2013
- Rappler.com, Ooops… No room for FOI bill, Oct. 9, 2012
- One more source
Congress.gov.ph, House Bill 5070
Francis Tolentino
Office of Atty. Francis Tolentino, Curriculum Vitae of Atty. Francis N. Tolentino
Francistolentino.com, Official Website of Atty. Francis Tolentino
House of Representatives, Hon. Tolentino, Abraham
ABS-CBN News, From one dynasty to another, March 14, 2013
Grandlodge.ph, MW Abraham N. Tolentino
Department of Interior and Local Government Calabarzon, Tagaytay City
Official Website of Tagaytay City, Local Officials
Philstar.com, MMDA chief denies family building dynasty in Cavite, May 15. 2013
World Cities Summit, Atty. Francis N. Tolentino
Inquirer.net, Tolentino quits MMDA over Playgirls scandal but won’t quit Senate race, Oct. 7, 2015
Inquirer.net, MMDA Chair Tolentino sued for misconduct over Playgirls show, Oct. 7, 2015
GMA News Online, PNoy: Francis Tolentino has withdrawn from admin Senate slate, Oct. 7, 2015
Inquirer.net, Tolentino: Forgive me for not stopping Playgirls number, Oct. 7, 2015
Rappler.com, Tolentino faces complaint before Ombudsman over Playgirls dance, Oct. 7, 2015
GMA News Online, Complaint filed vs. MMDA chair Tolentino over Playgirls performance, Oct. 7, 2015
ABS-CBN News, ASEAN leaders to get taste of Filipino fiesta in dinner with Duterte, April 27, 2017
Office of the President, Updated Directory of Officials and Key Positions in the Office of the President-Proper, Dec. 27, 2018
Philstar.com, New MMDA chief faces plunder, graft, other charges, Aug. 4, 2010
ABS-CBN News, MMDA chair says plunder case ‘black propaganda’, Aug. 3, 2010
Sunstar, MMDA chief chides plunder raps, Aug. 3, 2010
ABS-CBN News, Anti-graft group asks Ombudsman to suspend MMDA chief, Aug. 4, 2010
GMA News Online, Aquino standing by MMDA chair despite graft charges, Aug. 3, 2010
Senate Electoral Tribunal, SET Case No. 001-16 (Tolentino vs. de Lima): SET releases Resolutions 16-141 and 16-142, Feb. 27, 2019
Senate of the Philippines, De Lima: SET terminates Tolentino’s electoral protest, releases recount results, April 11, 2019
Inquirer Lifestyle, The man most everyone loves to hate, Oct. 6, 2013
Manila Standard, Tolentino heads back to Tagaytay, March 7, 2014
Rappler.com, EDSA 32: Politicians who got their start after the 1986 uprising, Feb. 23m 2016
Antonio “Butch” Valdes
GMA Public Affairs YouTube channel, “Investigative Documentaries: Nagtulak kay Butch Valdes para tumakbong senador, alamin,” Feb. 22, 2019
Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino YouTube channel, “#KDP Senator Butch Valdes sa Thinking Pinoy #SenatorialGisahan1on1,” Feb. 25, 2019
News5Everywhere YouTube channel, “APLIKANTE SA SENADO – BUTCH VALDES,” Feb. 28, 2019
One News PH YouTube channel, “Butch Valdes’ legislative agenda,” Jan. 31, 2019
LaRouche
LaRouche PAC Live YouTube channel, “Global Warming’ is Population Reduction, Not Science,” Oct. 21, 2018
LaRouche PAC website, “LaRouche: “A Four-Power Agreement Can Create a New World Credit System,” n.d.
Philippine LaRouche Society Facebook page, “About,” n.d.
Save the Nation Movement
Save the Nation Movement (Philippines) Facebook page, “About,” n.d.
Guided by the code of principles of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter, VERA Files tracks the false claims, flip-flops, misleading statements of public officials and figures, and debunks them with factual evidence. Find out more about this initiative and our methodology.
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