Archive - Q&A

HE arrived smiling but toward the end of his speech almost teared up, and right when he said, “This is not a time for tears.” On noon Tuesday, a day after the elections, administration bet and Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II conceded to Rodrigo Duterte. “Digong, I wish you success.” Roxas said,

INCOMING President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III bared on Tuesday the members of his Cabinet, but said he will be concurrent secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government while negotiations with three candidates are ongoing. He also told a press conference he has formed a “truth commission” to gather evidence of wrongdoing by the

By BOOMA CRUZ Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES ON election eve, media tore down the windows of Precinct 175-A of Sitio Alto, Barangay Central Azucarera de Tarlac Elementary School. The two adjacent giant square casements with horizontal rails blocked the perfect view of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine stationed at the voting center. Leading presidential

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES JOINING the already crowded presidential derby at the last minute, Sen. Richard “Dick” Gordon is banking on his image as an action man to win votes and implement genuine changes in 2010. The former mayor of Olongapo City, founding chair and administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and chair of

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES HEIR to a political dynasty that introduced him to politics, Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes is defying tradition. He will be 40 years old in February and is dead-set in running for president in 2010 against political giants that will most likely include his uncle, Sen. Richard

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES WITHOUT funds and a much-needed machinery, activist-environmentalist Nicanor “Nicky” Perlas thinks he has a good chance of capturing the presidency the nontraditional way and actually turn things around for the country. By Perlas’s own account, a government official, who learned about his intention to run for president, told him, “You are

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES SEN. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s strength—the legacy of his parents—is also his weakness. Blessed with sudden popularity reflected in the presidential surveys, he has become the favorite punching bag of every presidential wannabe. Aquino enjoys a 60 percent rating in the most recent nationwide survey of the Social Weather Stations on

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES SEN. Francis “Chiz” Escudero wants to be the country’s youngest president. He seemed ready to join the 2010 presidential derby, but party politics got in the way and the much-anticipated declaration turned out to be an announcement of a split with his party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Escudero has asked his

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES THE expected standard-bearer of the administration party, Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro is in an unenviable position. He is almost at the bottom of the current presidential survey ladder and constantly on the defensive because of the disastrous disaster response of his National Disaster Coordinating Council at the height of tropical

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES THE Philippines’ richest senator, billionaire Manuel “ Manny” Villar, is giving his all to capture the presidency in 2010. His infomercials and television ads invade the airwaves during prime time, outnumbering advertisements with similar themes three to one. According to Nielsen Media Research, the Villar media campaign from October 2008 to

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES ALL eyes were on broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez when her fiancé, Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, made the surprise announcement that he was withdrawing from the 2010 presidential derby in favor of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Sanchez was among those first consulted by Roxas about the sudden change of political

Courtesy of PROBE PROFILES AFTER investing hundreds of millions of pesos on television ads and other organizational requirements for a credible presidential campaign in 2010, Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II pulled a big surprise on Sept. 1 with his decision to withdraw from the presidential race in favor of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. Roxas