Rappler Newscast | October 1, 2012

Today on Rappler.

• The election season kicks off with the filing of certificates of candidacy.
• President Aquino launches his “rainbow coalition” while opposition UNA puts together former rivals for the senatorial race.
• Bloggers and students ask the Supreme Court to declare the cybercrime law unconstitutional.

Story 1: #PHVOTE2013: FANFARE MARKS START OF ELECTION SEASON
Politicians start to file their certificates of candidacy Monday, the kickoff to the 2013 campaign season.
Opposition coalition UNA was among the early birds at the Commission on Elections.
Ayee Macaraig tells us, the saying holds true once again for Philippine politics: there are no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests.

The more you think things change, the more they stay the same.
A theatrical skit is not an odd sight at the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2013 polls Monday.
Activist Mae Paner again channels her Juana Change character with the rest of the so-called “Change Clan” to protest the ills of Philippine politics.
With candidates’ bands, banners, and hoopla, Juana Change fits right into the political theater.

MAE PANER, ARTIST/ACTIVIST: We want an end to patronage politics. In this country dynasties rule the Philippines, it’s the same family over and over again. They’re very corrupt.

Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance sets the tone with the fanfare as its senatorial bets submit their election documents on day one.
UNA is positioning itself as an alternative to the administration but accusations of patronage politics also hound the alliance.
Senatorial candidates JV Ejercito and Jack Enrile are political sons who will end up joining their relatives in the Senate if they win.
They say they should be judged beyond their fathers’ names.

REP JV EJERCITO, UNA SENATORIAL BET: Matalino, marunong ang ating mga botante. Wag sana maliitin na di nila alam sino ang pinipili nila and people will vote now based on track record, performance, not just because of the name.

Aside from families, there are also strange bedfellows in the ticket.
Former Senator Richard Gordon and Zambales Representative Mitos Magsaysay come from families who are bitter rivals at the local level.
But Gordon downplays the issue by comparing their relationship to a sports rivalry.
Gordon was also at odds with another UNA figure, the group’s chairman, former President Joseph Estrada.
The two clashed on the US bases issue, with Estrada eventually firing Gordon.
Now, all is well between the two.
And besides, Estrada says the ruling Liberal Party is also guilty of sleeping with the enemy.

JOSEPH ESTRADA, UNA CHAIRMAN: Diba sila Nacionalista at Liberal, magkakalaban iyon lalo na nung last eleksyon, bakit sila magkakasama? Kami di nagkakalaban ni VP Binay, Senate President Enrile. We’re always together.

Now that the election season goes into full swing, groups like the Anti-Epal Campaign hope to see the candidates go beyond the traditional fanfare and politics.  

AYEE MACARAIG, REPORTING: Rivals turned allies and families in power are nothing new to Philippine politics.
In the 2013 elections, the same old story begins but advocacy groups and candidates say it will be up to the voters to choose the ending.
Ayee Macaraig, Rappler.

Story 2: AQUINO LAUNCHES OWN RAINBOW COALITION
The President’s party also launched its senatorial lineup Monday, a rainbow alliance of 5 parties and independents of diverse political colors.
Natashya Guiterrez reports.

The President’s first cousin, former political rivals, and re-electionists: This is the administration senatorial slate, which the coalition calls a powerhouse.
The ruling Liberal Party aligns with 4 others for 2013 — Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, party list Akbayan and Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino.
Of the slate, only 3 are from LP. The rest come from its new allies, including 3 independent candidates.
It’s a rainbow coalition, but President Benigno Aquino III says what matters is they all support his agenda of reform.

BENIGNO AQUINO III, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT: Marami po sa kanila ang nakatrabaho ko na. Sila ang humarap sa pagsagasa ng tren ng nakaraang administrasyon; puwede namang pumanig na lang sila sa mali, at tumamasa ng kaliwa’t kanang benepisyo. Pero tumaya sila sa tama, at tumindig kasama ng sambayanan kontra sa katiwalian.

Of the 12, three candidates, Loren Legarda, Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Grace Poe-Llamanzares are guests of the opposition, the United National Alliance led by Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Sen Franklin Drilon, who is the campaign manager for 2010, says it is a clear rule that those in LP’s slate will not campaign for UNA.

FRANKLIN DRILON, LIBERAL PARTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER: We cannot prevent them from adopting some of our candidates. But we certainly find it problematic if these candidates they adopt would suddenly appear in rallies because when they endorse the candidates of the other side, that means they are junking the candidates of the coalition.

It is a harsh rule but the President gets what he wants.
All candidates that UNA and LP are courting choose the administration slate, including Legarda, who has continuously topped surveys.
Legarda kept quiet until the proclamation rally, where she tells reporters she could not say no to Aquino.
Aquino’s confidence in his slate shows.
In a room full of LP yellow, Aquino’s rhetoric slams UNA.

BENIGNO AQUINO III, PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT: Kung tama kami, puwede bang tama rin ang kontra sa amin? Kung doon sila panig, masasabi po ba nating may maliwanag silang pag-intindi sa tama at mali? At kung hindi naman maliwanag, saan naman po kaya tayo dadalhin ng kanilang pamumuno?

The “rainbow coalition” concept was popularized by former Speaker Jose De Venecia Jr during the Ramos administration.
De Venecia formed the “rainbow coalition” because then President Fidel Ramos won the presidency in 1992 through a ragtag political party, the Lakas-CMD, which later on grew into a ruling party.
Not only does the President get his way, but with his ratings highest now since he first took office, Aquino’s lineup looks promising — regardless of its strange bedfellows.
Natashya Gutierrez, Rappler, Manila.

Story 3: #PHVOTE2013: FROM ADVERSARIES TO ALLIES
Like its rival UNA, the Liberal Party senatorial line-up saw former bitter enemies linking arms.
Carmela Fonbuena reports.

What a difference 3 years make.
Foes in the 2010 elections are now allies.
Cynthia Villar joins her husband Senator Manny Villar’s fiercest critics: Jamby Madrigal and Risa Hontiveros in the administration’s Rainbow Coalition.
President candidate Madrigal ran a campaign largely attacking Villar for alleged corruption.
Senatorial candidate Hontiveros ran the “Villaroyo” campaign claiming that Villar was the secret candidate of unpopular President Gloria Arroyo.
Madrigal and Hontiveros say they don’t have issues sharing the campaign stage with Cynthia Villar.
Hontiveros says she’s happy that Cynthia decided to support President Aquino.
For the politicians, it’s forgive and forget.
2013 raises the bar in the politics of convenience.
Question is, will the voters care?
Carmela Fonbuena, Rappler Manila.

Story 4: OMBUDSMAN JUNKS ARROYO PLUNDER APPEAL
The Ombudsman denies the plea of former President Gloria Arroyo to drop the plunder charges filed against her.
In a 21-page resolution filed with the Sandiganbayan, the Ombudsman says Arroyo’s appeal has no basis in law.
The resolution now allows the court to issue an arrest warrant against her.
The 366-million peso plunder suit filed in July against Arroyo stems from allegations she and 9 former government officials misused Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office intelligence funds.

Story 5: BLOGGERS, STUDENTS JOIN SC PETITION VS CYBERCRIME LAW
Legislators, political bloggers, students and professors ask the Supreme Court to declare the Cybercrime Prevention Act unconstitutional and stop Malacañang and the Department of Justice from implementing it.
The petitioners zero in on Sections 4(c)4, 5, 6 and 7 which include online libel as a cybercrime and increase penalties for all crimes in the Revised Penal Code.
They say the sections are ambiguous because they fail to specify the penalties for online libel.
They add the sections fail to distinguish communications made through a “computer system” and “information and communications technology.”
Petitioners say the law may ‘produce a chilling effect on legitimate and protected speech.’
This is the 6th petition to be filed against the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Partylist groups Anakpawis, Gabriela, Karapatan, Bayan Muna, KMU, and Courage also file against the cybercrime law at the Supreme Court, Monday.

Story 6: DECENT JOBS ARE GOVT’S ‘SINGLE BIGGEST CHALLENGE’
Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan says creating decent jobs for the labor pool remains a major challenge for the government.
Decent jobs refer to those that are productive, provide fair income and social protection for families, provide better prospects for personal development, provide freedom for people to express their concerns, and provide equality of opportunity for men and women.

Story 7: UN CHIEF SUPPORTS PEACEFUL RESOLUTION TO CHINA
The Department of Foreign Affairs says United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he hopes all maritime and territorial disputes in the South China Sea may be “resolved peacefully.”
Ban expressed his sentiment during a meeting at the UN General Assembly held last week in New York.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario met earlier with UN General Assembly President Vuk Jeremic.
Jeremic also supports a peaceful settlement of regional maritime and territorial disputes.
Del Rosario tells Jeremic the Philippines believes the rule of law is essential to resolving the issue.
The foreign affairs chief says multilateral organizations like the UN and ASEAN are vital to make nations stand by their international commitments.

Story 8: THE wRap: YOUR WORLD IN ONE READ
At number 5, Louis Vuitton items account for close to 40% of fake goods seized by Philippine authorities from January to August of 2012.
The National Bureau of Investigation says over 2,000 Louis Vuitton items were seized in May, the height of tourist arrivals.
Counterfeit Louis Vuitton, Lee products and Jansport bags were the top goods seized.
The Philippine’s Intellectual Property office says there is a “very high level of awareness” about piracy among Filipinos but they often justify their purchases of counterfeit goods saying they “can’t afford to pay for the real thing.”

At number 6, The Philippines still consumes more rice despite its rising per capita income.
A study by the Southeast Asian Regional Center says this consumption is fuelled by low-income Filipinos.
The study says lower-income consumers, particularly those in rural areas, still depend on the staple.
Higher income groups have a more diversified diet, consuming more fish, meat and produce.
The demand for rice in the past two decades – except in 2008-2009 when a rice crisis hit on a global scale – has been steadily rising in the country.
Filipinos ate an average of 119 kilograms of rice yearly in 2009-2010.

At number 7, Myanmar leader Thein Sein says he would accept democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi as president if elected, but adds he alone could not amend rules that bar her from power.
Former general Thein Sein paid tribute to Myanmar’s Nobel laureate during a landmark tour of the United States.
Thein Sein burnished his reformist credentials by insisting his country will continue its strides towards democracy after decades of military rule.
The Myanmar president returns to Rangoon Monday.

And at number 10, Apple CEO Tim Cook apologizes over the weekend for the problems brought about by their new Maps application.
Cook’s apology follows complaints from all over the world about the new maps application introduced by Apple in iOS 6.
The new app replaces the original Google maps-powered app.
It introduces new features like 3D flyovers and turn-by-turn direction but could not match the mapping system offered by Google.
Cook assures users Apple was doing its best to improve the software and suggests alternative maps apps that users could use in the meantime.

– Rappler.com