Noli as Villar's VP? 'Hindi nga!'

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA - "Hindi nga! (No, I'm not!)"

This was Vice-President Noli de Castro's succinct reply to questions that he is being wooed to become Sen. Manuel Villar's running mate for the 2010 elections.

De Castro was visibly irritated during Thursday's commemoration of the 394th Founding Anniversary of Los Baños, Laguna. At least 50 militants conducted a protest rally in the area to remind de Castro of his failed promises in bringing adequate housing to citizens.

De Castro earlier turned down the invitation of the Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats to become the party's standard-bearer for the 2010 polls.

Villar said he is open to inviting de Castro to be his running mate in the 2010 elections, but stressed that he will not preempt the vice-president's plans. He said that de Castro had previously indicated that he might run for president or return to the private sector.

"Kabayan [de Castro] and I have not talked...To be fair with him, I don't know if he wants to run for vice-president or if he wants to return to broadcasting or if he wants to run for president. I expect to talk to him in the coming days..Ayaw kong pangunahan kung ano ang kanyang magiging plano," Villar said in an ANC interview.

Villar visited Albay province on Thursday to lead the oath-taking of over 300 leaders in Bicol, including two incumbent vice-governors, at least 13 mayors and 12 vice-mayors, to the Nacionalista Party. Sen. Pia Cayetano, who is widely rumored to be one of those being considered to be Villar's running mate, was also at the oath-taking.

"I have always been a running mate of Sen. Manny Villar in a sense that I believe in his programs, but if you are referring to being the vice-president, nagulat ako when I first heard of it from him," she said.

She added that she is still mulling over Villar's offer.

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Escudero wins UP mock poll; Villar places 2nd

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA - Sen. Francis Escudero on Thursday topped a mock poll conducted by students from the University of the Philippines Diliman campus.

Dubbed the "Boto ng Iskolar ng Bayan", the campus-wide mock election was conducted by the Alpha Sigma fraternity last September 8 to 15. A total of 3,156 from 15 colleges in UP Diliman participated in the election.

Escudero, who received his law degree at the UP College of Law, got 690 or 21 percent of the total votes. He gained the most votes in all except in the UP College of Business Administration where Sen. Manuel Villar graduated. Villar placed second in the mock poll with 365 or 11.6 percent of the votes.

Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III placed third in the mock poll with 278 or 8.8 percent of the votes.

The complete results of the UP mock elections is as follows:

1. Sen Francis Escudero - 690 or 21.9%

2. Sen. Manny Villar - 365 or 11.6%

3. Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III - 278 or 8.8%

4. Sen. Jamby Madrigal - 258 or 8.2%

5. Sen. Manuel Roxas - 251 or 8%

6. Sen. Loren Legarda - 237 or 7.9%

7. MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando - 226 or 7.2%

8. Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay - 162 or 5.1%

9. Sen. Richard Gordon - 151 or 4.8%

10. Vice President Noli De Castro - 107 or 3.4%

11. Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio - 53 or 1.7%

12. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro - 52 or 1.6%

13. Former president Joseph Estrada - 35 or 1.1%

14. Bro. Eddie Villanueva - 21 or .07%

15. Sen. Panfilo Lacson - 3 or .09%

16. Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV - 1 or .03%

A total of 267 students or 8.5 percent of the students abstained from the mock election.

Officials of the Alpha Sigma fraternity said the mock poll is the first to be conducted by the fraternity ahead of the 2010 elections.

Fraternity spokesman Simon Salinas said the mock poll is meant to spread awareness of the importance of every vote during the country's electoral exercise.

Project head Marc Aguimatang said Escudero could win big among youth voters next year because of his age and general advocacies for the youth.

Alpha Sigma head Jayson Santiago, however, said the other candidates could also appeal to youth voters since the national election is still eight months away.

He said candidates who sincerely want to engage the youth should prioritize social issues such as quality and free education, accountability and transparency in governance, agrarian reform and reproductive health.

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Villar won't preempt Noli's plans

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA - Senator and presidential aspirant Manuel Villar on Thursday said he is open to inviting Vice-President Noli de Castro to be his running mate in the 2010 elections, but stressed that he will not preempt de Castro's plans.

"Kabayan [de Castro] and I have not talked...To be fair with him, I don't know if he wants to run for vice-president or if he wants to return to broadcasting or if he wants to run for president. I expect to talk to him in the coming days..Ayaw kong pangunahan kung ano ang kanyang magiging plano," Villar said in an interview with ANC's Dateline.

He said that de Castro had previously indicated that he might run for president or return to the private sector.

Earlier reports said Villar has been trying to woo de Castro to become his running mate in the 2010 elections. De Castro earlier turned down the invitation of the Lakas-Kampi Christian Muslim Democrats to become the party's standard bearer for the 2010 polls.

Villar, meanwhile, welcomed the Lakas-Kampi-CMD's decision to field Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro as the party's standard-bearer for next year's election.

He refused to say, however, if he preferred to take on Teodoro or Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando in the elections next year. "They're both good but they have to catch up in popularity [surveys]," he said.

He also downplayed reports that he had lost the lead in the presidential race to Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, as shown in the latest popularity survey.

The recent Social Weather Stations survey showed that one out of every two voters in vote-rich areas of Luzon would have chosen Noynoy if presidential elections were held in early September 2009. Aquino was preferred by 50% of 1,200 respondents from a pre-selected list of five names that also included erstwhile survey leaders Villar, former President Joseph Estrada, Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, and Vice-President Noli de Castro.

Villar said Noynoy's popularity increased dramatically after the death of his mother, former president Corazon Aquino, last August 1.

"I have not gone down in the surveys, it's Noynoy that has gone up. It's hard to fight against the sentiment since everybody respects Cory Aquino and there was a lot of coverage," he said.

He said he is currently busy going around the country to allow people to know him better ahead of the 2010 elections.

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Villar threatened by Noynoy candidacy

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA - Senator and presidential wannabe Manuel Villar on Tuesday admitted that he is threatened by the rising popularity of Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III after the latter declared his intention to run for president in 2010.

Asked if he feels threatened by Noynoy, Villar acknowledged: "Siyempre, si Noynoy ang malakas ngayon (Of course, because Noynoy is strong now)."

He added, however, that Noynoy's popularity may be shortlived since the other presidential candidates are equally strong. He said he himself was trailing in the surveys until recently.

Villar criticized Aquino while telling his supporters that he would not back down from his presidential bid.

"Ang tunay na demokrasya ay makakamit kung pagbibigyan ng tao na maging presidente ang isang anak ng mahirap at hindi kailangan maging anak ng presidente (True democracy can be achieved if men will allow a son of poor parents, not just a son of president, to become president)," he said in a political rally in Cavite.

He later said he was not criticizing Aquino since the incumbent President Arroyo is also the daughter of a former president, Diosdado Macapagal. Aquino is the son of former president and freedom icon Corazon Aquino.

Villar added that there was nothing inherently wrong with being the son or daughter of a former president.

Villar has centered his campaign on a pro-poor platform, anchored on the slogan "Ang taong galing sa hirap, tumutulong sa mahihirap (A person who comes from poverty helps the poor)."

Aquino, on the other hand, has been thrust into the national limelight after the death of his mother last August 1. He declared his candidacy earlier this month after his partymate, Liberal Party president Mar Roxas, backed out of the race and supported his bid.

Villar, meanwhile, said he has yet to choose a running mate for the 2010 polls. He said he would make a final decision once he files his candidacy in November.

He also told former president Joseph Estrada to "relax" after the latter was linked to smuggling, strong-arm and illegal numbers rackets during his protracted term as president. He said Estrada's accuser, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, should present evidence to back his claims.

Lacson had earlier accused Villar of profiting from a double-insertion for the C-5 road project.

Magdalo members back Villar

Meanwhile, some 300 members of the Partido Magdalo on Tuesday pledged their support for Villar's Nacionalista Party. Former Cavite vice-governor Jonvic Remulla led 18 out of 23 Cavite mayors in pledging their support for Villar, adding that they would deliver 1.5 million votes for the senator's 2010 presidential bid.

Among those who pledged their support for Villar was Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla, a former spokesman of Estrada's Partido ng Masang Pilipino. In an interview, Remulla said Estrada gave his blessings when he told the forrmer president that he would join the Nacionalista Party.

He said he believes Villar would be the best candidate to support since Estrada "is not accepted by the rich" while Aquino is being supported by civil society, which he termed as a divisive force. "It's about time we find a middle ground," he said.

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Noynoy tops SWS survey in vote-rich Luzon areas

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA - This is the result of the first presidential survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations that includes Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

The survey was taken between Sept. 5 and 6 and was commissioned by a number of private individuals, including some members of the business community.

It was not a national survey but it covers Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Region 3 and Region 4A, an area that covers an estimated 40 percent of registered voters.

10 percent of the respondents belonged to the A, B and C classes, or the wealthy and middle class, while 90 percent belong to the D and E classes, or the poor.

Despite having declared his candidacy after the survey, a whopping 50 percent of respondents said they would vote for Aquino, followed by 14 percent who said they would vote for Sen. Manuel “Manny” Villar.

Statistically tied with Villar for second place is former president Joseph Estrada with 13 percent. Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero had 12 percent and vice president Noli de Castro came in last with 7 percent.

Liberal Party leaders expected Aquino to benefit from public sympathy over the death of his mother, former President Corazon Aquino, but were surprised by how high his numbers are.

With 8 months to go before the election and his relatively late entry into the race Aquino is still putting his campaign together, but already he seems to have has become the front runner.

However, in an election season that is becoming full of surprises, the challenge is to keep those sky high numbers for falling back to earth.

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