Campaign Day 22: More on noise, less on issues as bets trade barbs

On Tuesday, the 22nd day of the senatorial campaign, the candidates’ voices came on stronger, literally, in the foreground as issues became smaller in the background. The daily campaign has taken its toll on some candidates – among them senatorial bets Anna Dominique “Nikki" Coseteng and Vicente “Tito" Sotto III – whose voices became hoarse due to loud and endless speeches. The major contenders — Team Unity (TU) and the Genuine Opposition (GO) — still haven’t agreed on where they should disagree. They were still debating on where they should be debating – the Manila Hotel or Plaza Miranda – on economic issues. Meanwhile, spokesmen of both sides have not lost their voices as they continued to trade broadsides. Tony Albano, TU deputy spokesman, said GO should change its acronym to STOP, which could mean several things, like “Sayang Time, Opposition Pumapalpak" or “Sawa ang Tao sa Oposisyong Puro Porma." Albano also took a dig at TU spokesman Adel Tamano, saying that STOP could also mean “Si Tamano Overpaid." J.V. Ejercito, GO campaign manager, answered that Tamano’s being in GO has nothing to do with money, saying: "Walang katotohanan. Siya po'y nandito dahil sa paninindigan at sa kanyang paniniwala." GO failed to coin a new acronym for Team Unity. "Bagay na bagay na po yung Team Unity, Team of Arroyo. Para mo nang pinagtatakpan lahat po ng kasalanan, lahat ng naging pagkukulang at yung mga kwestyon na hindi sinasagot ni Ginang Arroyo." Some candidates wanted the word war to stop. TU senatorial bet Juan Miguel Zubiri said: "I'll ask our deputy spokesperson to sort of tone down on the mudslinging, dahil ayaw po nating mangyari yun sa ating grupo." Francis "Chiz" Escudero of GO said: "Pwede ba sagutin na lang nila lahat ng tanong na kinakaharap ng sambayanan." Internal rift Before both parties could go out answering questions, however, they must first address issues, which were mostly still unresolved as of Tuesday: • Who should be running for which post? • Who should be kicked out for being nuisance candidates? Within the pro-Arroyo camp, these questions have become divisive as members of the Lakas- Christian-Muslim Democrats, under which President Arroyo came into power, and the Kampi (Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino), which is now trying to rise from the shadow of its ally, continue to scramble for endorsements. The same questions have been threatening to create a rift even within the same family, especially the Rectos, as outgoing Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto asked supporters for a week before making a decision whether to run for governor against incumbent Vice Gov. Ricky Recto, older brother of Sen. Ralph Recto. In an interview with GMA’s 24 Oras, the archbishop Lipa, Ramon Arguelles, urged the older Recto to give way to Santos, to which the vice governor replied: "Let's leave it the way it is. I love my archbishop. He's a good friend and someone I can always go to for advice and consultation. But this time, I hope I may be allowed to make my decision on this matter." Asked to comment on the issue, Sen. Ralph Recto said: "I believe the people of Batangas will elect Vilma." Screening of 42 ‘nuisance’ bets The Commission on Elections on Tuesday gave another two days to 14 senatorial bets to defend their candidacies. The candidates who showed up at the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila, were among the 42 bets not included in the list of official candidates given "due course" to run in the May 14 elections. They are Orlando Abitona, Theodore Aquino, Silverio Bulanon, Gerardo del Mundo, Eduardo Flaminiano, Mujahab Hashim, Agapito Mendez, Wilhelmina Orozco, Manuel Po, Danton Remoto, Marcelo Tayco Jr., Elpidio Tuazon, and Vicente Villanueva. The six-member poll body grilled the 14 candidates in a hearing which shifted from serious to light discussions of issues. Senatorial bets face security threats The Philippine National Police, meanwhile, revealed the names of eight senatorial candidates who reportedly face security threats: Senate President Manuel Villar Jr., Rep. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, presidential chief of staff Mike Defensor, Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Rep. Prospero Pichay, Sen. Ralph Recto, and Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson. Most of the candidates took the threat as a matter of course. Chief Supt. Romeo Hilomen, director Police Security and Protection Office said: "They are high-profile people. Saka pag may taong mag-harm sa kanila, magiging sikat na rin yung taong gumawa ng harm." Pangilinan, however, urged the police to be on their toes in guarding candidates, saying: "Dapat preventive sila, at hindi reactive." Still campaigning behind bars Senatorial candidate Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, meanwhile, would have to keep on campaigning from jail with the help of relatives and supporters, as would former Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV. The Makati Regional Trial Court on Tuesday denied Honasan’s petition to post bail, saying it was more to the advantage of Honasan if the former senator would just observe the 60-day period granted by the court to have his coup d’ etat case reviewed by the Justice department. Trillanes, meanwhile, said his campaign was going well despite his being in jail because his relatives and supporters have been doing a good job of campaigning. "Habang nakaposas pa rin ang mga kasamahan ko, dapat nakaposas pa rin ako (As my comrades are still in handcuffs, I should also be in handcuffs)," Trillanes wrote to reporters covering the hearing of the case. Singson suspects setup in cash raffle Senatorial bet Luis “Chavit" Singson told on Tuesday said he was ready to explain the cash raffle he was accused of sponsoring in a campaign sortie over the weekend in Misamis Oriental. He said the incident was probably a setup. "Hindi ko nga alam, baka setup yon," he said. “Dapat yung coordinator [of Team Unity] dun mag-explain, bakit merong ganun. Eh di para akong sinet-up." The Comelec asked Singson to explain why he raffled off envelopes containing P300 to P1,000 each in a meeting with local officials in El Salvador town. James Jimenez, Comelec spokesperson, said members of the commission saw a video clip of Singson’s campaign sortie where he raffled off the envelopes. “The commissioners saw the video and they laughed at his excuse that he did that because he doesn’t want to be called stingy," Jimenez told reporters. Singson justified his action on Monday. He said he did not know that giving away money during a campaign sortie was prohibited by law. After receiving a barrage of criticisms, Singson apologized for what he did. NTC allows text campaigning Candidates, meanwhile, may send text messages to campaign for votes, but the recipients must give their consent, the National Telecommunications Commission said Tuesday. NTC chief of staff Lucio Espinoza Jr said: "Bago sila magpadala ng text materials dapat may kaukulang consent ang subscriber. At dapat din hanggang alas nwebe ng gabi hanggang alas siyete ng umaga. Pagka walang consent ang subscriber, bawal magpadala ng campaign text materials." Globe and Smart officials said some candidates have approached them about the possibility of using their cell phone networks for campaigning, but the two telecommunications firms agreed that candidates must follow the law. Mon Isberto, Smart spokesman, said: "Dapat yung kandidato, may sarili siyang data base ng mga phone numbers. Or makaka-recruit siya, makakakumbinsi siya ng mga tao sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang mga anunsiyo." Rodolfo Salalima, senior vice president for corporate and regulatory affairs of Globe, said the candidates should first clear the matter with the NTC. Espinoza said anyone who gets unsolicited campaign text messages could file a complaint before the NTC. - GMANews.TV