By REYNARD MAGTOTO LEGAZPI City —Despite the recent uproar over the energy privatization in Albay, candidates have refused to join the fray and remain mum on the issue. On April 15, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) decided to finally privatize the bankrupt Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco), the country’s second biggest electric cooperative. Stakeholders in Albay have
By CARLOS D. MARQUEZ JR. PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija—Will this Central Luzon town not qualify for a unique election laboratory with, among others, a doctor running for mayor singing his campaign lines and locals, including those abroad, trading issues on Facebook? Even as sometimes some got irked for what they believed as foul personal attacks, which
By MIKHA FLORES A Comelec official cautioned candidates Monday that appearing as guests in entertainment shows will be counted against their airtime limits. James Jimenez, chief of the election commission’s Education and Information Department said appearances are not prohibited but “there will be implications” on their time limit. “It’s not just a possibility, it’s a
By MIKHA FLORES REQUIRING candidates to regularly submit their statements of election contributions and expenses (SECE) during the campaign period will be an added burden for the Commission on Elections, Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said Friday. “Maganda sana iyon pero ang laking abala pa sa amin (It is a good idea but it’s an added burden on
By MIKHA FLORES THE Commission on Elections has listed 75 poster violations one month after the campaign period for candidates for senator and party-list groups started on Feb 12. Comelec’s Law Department sent out 38 notices to 22 senatorial candidates and 36 notices to 21 party-lists. The poll body also sent a separate notice to Bishop
By MIKHA FLORES COMMISSION on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr on Monday asked President Benigno Aquino III to immediately name the replacements for the two appointees who declined their appointment as commissioners, saying the vacancies are a taking a toll on the poll body’s early resolution of election cases. Aquino appointed former Justice Undersecretary Macabangkit Lanto
By MIKHA FLORES THE Commission on Elections has set for Monday its final meeting with Dominion Voting Systems after it failed anew to persuade the company to release the source code for the automated machines to be used in the May 13 elections. Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes was supposed to announce Friday whether Dominion’s source code
By MIKHA FLORES THE oversized tarpaulin bearing the names of senatorial and party-list candidates who were for and against the controversial Reproductive Health Bill will remain hanging outside a Bacolod church after the Supreme Court stopped the Commission on Elections from taking down the campaign material. The high court issued Tuesday a temporary restraining order
By MIKHA FLORES A Commission on Elections official who once blocked the confirmation of Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. is now vying for one of the two vacancies in the poll body. Planning Department Director Ferdinand Rafanan has submitted his application for Comelec Commissioner to President Benigno Aquino and told him he would spearhead anti-corruption
By MIKHA FLORES THE Commission on Elections’ negotiations with Dominion Voting Systems for the release of the source code for the automated machines to be used in the coming elections have gained little headway, but Chairman Sixto Brillantes is still hoping for a definitive outcome from the talks so the poll body can get past
