VOTERS URGED TO ENGAGED IN PRINCIPLED POLITICS / NOLI IS OUT OF THE RACE
MANILA, JANUARY 25, 2010 (STAR) By Helen Flores - The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday called on Filipino voters to engage in principled partisan politics and appealed to the military and police not to let themselves be used by politicians.In a pastoral statement released last night, the Catholic bishops urged all Filipinos to form “circles of discernment” so that they can see, judge, and act together on issues of public concern according to moral values.
They reminded the Catholic faithful that it is their right and duty to support candidates that are qualified and have a record of striving for the common good.
“They should not hesitate to engage in principled partisan politics. We are asked to first articulate the key values and principles by which we can evaluate individual candidates across political parties. This is the kind of politics in which Gospel values form the bases of our choice of candidates and not party or family loyalties,” the statement said.
The pastoral statement, signed by CBCP president Nereo Odchimar, was released after the 100th General Assembly held for two days at the Pius XII Center in Manila.
The bishops said that the recent outrageous political violence has awakened the Filipinos to the reality that if they would not be vigilant, “our electoral processes can drag us down.”
'Fund woes forced Noli out of race' By Edith Regalado (The Philippine Star) Updated January 25, 2010 12:00 AM
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The lack of financial resources forced Vice President Noli de Castro to withdraw his bid for the May 10 presidential elections, his adviser revealed yesterday.
Jessie Andres, chief of staff of the Office of the Vice President, said the lack of funds forced De Castro to decide not to run for president even if he was already leading in the surveys.
“The man (De Castro) has well-defined scruples. The man cannot sacrifice his principles to muster funds just so he could launch his candidacy at all cost. He is not that kind. He just refuses. He is not willing to sacrifice his scruples,” Andres said.
Andres pointed out De Castro lacked the logistics, the second requirement to launch a successful campaign in addition to a good showing in the surveys.
“There are two requirements to launch a successful campaign. One is topping the surveys, which he has. Second, is the logistics, which he doesn’t have. He would need billions (to survive and win the campaign). He does not have that,” Andres added.
“As an individual, (De Castro) is not rich. And he is not obsessed with power,” he added.
Andres explained De Castro would need billions of pesos to finance his campaign.
According to Andres, De Castro is not the type of candidate who would solicit from other individuals, groups or organizations so he could campaign.
Andres said De Castro would not even agree to the idea of getting the campaign funds from influential people in exchange for some favors later should he get elected.
“Those who contribute to the campaign funds would really ask for something in exchange which the Vice President is not willing to do and to give,” Andres said.
He added De Castro could not simply accept help “with strings attached.”
Andres hinted De Castro would return to the broadcast industry after he steps down as Vice President on June 30.
“Broadcasting has always been his first love,” Andres said.
Marcos, Jr: 'Issues involving EDSA people power already resolved' By Edith Regalado (The Philippine Star) Updated January 25, 2010 12:00 AM
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — As far as Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is concerned, the issues and problems involving the 1986 EDSA people power have already been resolved and done with.
“The EDSA issues are already non-issues today. The problems of EDSA are no longer problems today,” Marcos told reporters when he arrived here for a short sortie over the weekend.
Marcos said it is already time to move on and not to talk about the administration of his late father, who was ousted by a people power revolution in 1986.
“The government of my father ended in 1986. We do not talk about it anymore. What we need to discuss is what we should do today. We should move on,” said Marcos, who is running for senator under the Nacionalista Party in the 2010 elections.
“I am proud to bear my father’s name,” Marcos further said.
In fact, he said, that people would always approach him in his sorties telling him how good things in the country were during his father’s administration.
“Anywhere I go people would always tell me that things were a lot better during my father’s time. They tell me that peace and order and security situation was much better during my father’s time. They said education and infrastructure program was much better during my father’s time,” Marcos said.
He said his campaign would not be targeting those anti or pro Marcos.
“It has nothing to do with anti or pro-Marcos. I am appealing to all Filipinos regardless if they are for Marcos or not. My father is not the issue here. I do not have to campaign to get those they call anti-Marcos groups,” Marcos stressed.
‘Make Arroyos answerable’
Another senatorial candidate vowed to make President Arroyo answerable for her administration’s alleged excesses if he is given the chance to serve.
“That would be one of my (priority resolutions) in the Senate. I hope we’ll be able to make it despite our limited resources to wage of (nationwide) campaign,” said Alex Lacson, who’s running under Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s Liberal Party
Speaking before a group of Christian businessmen in northern Luzon, Lacson said Mrs. Arroyo must be held responsible for all the corruption committed by her administration.
“From my own personal view, she committed much corruption and blunders during her nine-year reign and we are duty-bound to expose them and make her answerable to it,” he said.
Lacson said his priority if elected senator is to file a resolution calling for an inquiry over the perceived corruption and other scams committed during Mrs. Arroyo’s term.
“It’s easy to gather evidence. We already have the documents at both Houses (of Congress) and other government institutions. It’s just a matter of pursuing them to the end,” he said.
Lacson said the conduct of previous congressional inquiries about scams and corruption committed by officials in the government, including the First Family, was nothing but propaganda.
He said no one was prosecuted or convicted in court from these congressional investigations, including the aborted NBN-ZTE deal, fertilizer scam and road user’s tax collections.
“Corruption and blunders are the greatest cancers that slowly kill our country. The thieves and corrupt leaders are the worst enemies of the Filipinos today,” Lacson said, stressing that at least 40 percent of the national budget is wasted in corruption. – With Charlie Lagasca
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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