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Delinquent candidates face disqualification
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TOTAL of 785 candidates during the past elections have been found to have violated the law requiring them to file their statement of cont r ibut ions a nd e x pend it u res (Soces) to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The said candidates are now at risk of being perpetually disqualified from running for public office. Based on the report posted by the Comelec-Campaign Finance Office in its web site, the 785 candidates failed to file their Soces in two or more elections, beginning with the 2007 midterm polls until the 2013 midterm elections. Section 14 of the Republic Act 7166 provides that all candidates are required to file their full, true and itemized statement of all contributions and expenditures in connection with the elections. It further states that those who failed to file their SOCEs for a second or subsequent offense shall be subjected to perpetual disqualification to hold public office. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has the most number of candidates who are in danger of being disqualified with 194. They include Moro National Liberation Front Chairman Nur Misuari who failed to file his Soce for three elections. Other regions w ith a high number of non-Soce filers are Calabarzon with 88; Cordillera Administrative Region with 70; Northern Mindanao with 67; Cen-
JIMENEZ: “These are still up for filing of petitions for perpetual disqualification before the Office of the Secretary of the Commission.”
tral Luzon with 60; Soccsksargen with 59; and National Capital Region with 54. Also, Cagayan Valley had 30; Central Visayas with 25; Ilocos region and Mimaropa with 23 each; Eastern Visayas with 21; Davao region with 18; Zamboanga Peninsula with 16; Bicol region and Western Visayas with 15 each; and Caraga with 7. Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said cases against the 785 candidates are now set to be filed before the commission. “These are still up for filing of petitions for perpetual disqualification before the Office of the Secretary of the Commission,” Jimenez told reporters. Aside from perpetual disqualification, the candidates are facing administrative fines ranging from P20,000 to P60,000, depending on the position they sought for as provided for under Comelec Resolution 9991. Candidates for next year’s elections who failed to comply with the Soce requirement are also facing disqualification, according to the Comelec. Joel R. San Juan
Editor: Dionisio L. Pelayo • Tuesday, October 27, 2015 A3
Comelec refers to DOJ poll sabotage case vs Smartmatic
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By Joel R. San Juan
HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has referred for preliminary investigation the electoral sabotage case filed against officials of technology provider Smartmatic-Total Information Management Corp. for allegedly altering the source code of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (Pcos) machines during the May 2013 elections.
In a resolution, the Comelec en banc unanimously approved the recommendation of its law department for the poll body to recuse from hearing the case due to conflict of interest. Director Maria Norina TangaroCasingal of the poll body’s Law Department said in the memorandum she submitted to the commission en banc that the poll body will be dealing with Smartmatic, as the successful bidder in the separate biddings for the lease with option to purchase 23,000 and 70,977 units of precinct-based Optical Mark Reader or Optical Scan System to be used in the May 9, 2016 elections. Tangaro-Casingal explained that the Department of Justice (DOJ) also has the jurisdiction to hear and resolve election-related cases under
Republic Act (RA) 9369, or the Automated Election law. “In as much as this department would want to take cognizance of the case and conduct the necessry preliminary investigation thereon, this department deems it more appropriate to ask for your Honor’s guidance on whether to proceed with the conduct of the same or to refer this case to the Department of Justice [for action] pursuant to Section 265 of the Omnibus Election Code, as amended by Section 43 of RA 9369,” the memorandum said. The said provision provide that: “ T he commission shall, through its duly authorized legal officers, have the power, concurrent with the other prosecuting arms of the government, to conduct preliminary investigation of
all election offenses under this Code, and prosecute the same.” Comelec Chairman Andres Baut ist a a nd Comm issioners Robert Lim, Al Parreño, Arthur Lim and Sheriff Aba approved the referral of the case to the DOJ. C o m m i s s io ne r s L u i e T it o Guia was on leave, while Rowena Guanzon was not present during the proceedings as she was on official business duty. The case stemmed from the complaint filed by former Election Commissioner Gus Lagman and several others against Smartmatic President for Asia Pacific Cesar Flores, Albert Castro Rico and Marlon Garcia. Lagman’s group accused Smartmatic officials of violating RA 9369 or the Automated Election law when it changed the source code just hours after voting closed on May 13, 2013 Aside from Lagman, the other complainants were Automated Election System Watch members Leo Querubin, Maria Corazon Akol, Glenn Chong, Temario Rivera and Ernesto del Rosario. They claimed thatthe changing of the source code supposedly happened at the Command Center of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting about two hours after voting had closed and without the required notification of other election stakeholders.
UNA declares official senatorial ticket
President Toby Tiangco, meanwhile, announced the party’s senatorial slate for the 2016 elections. Tiangco said the UNA senatorial candidates are one with the Vice President Jejomar C. Binay- Gregorio Honasan tandem in addressing poverty, hunger and unemployment under a competent, compassionate and healing government. “The composition of UNA’s senatorial lineup is illustrated by each candidate’s personal advocacies and the legislative agenda their respective organizations would advance in the Senate. Nagkakaisa ang lahat sa layunin ng partido sa pamumuno ni Vice President Jejomar C. Binay na bigyang ginhawa ang sambayanang Pilipino na nakaangkla sa mga programa at inisyatiba na magbibigay solusyon sa kawalan ng trabaho, mababang pasahod at nagtataasang presyo ng mga bilihin,” Tiangco said. The UNA senatorial lineup includes boxing champion and Nacionalista Party-list Rep. Manny Pacquiao of Saranggani, former Special Action Force Commander Getulio Napeñas, Parañaque Councilor Alma Moreno, Sulu Sultanate Princess Jacel Kiram, veteran broadcaster Rey Langit and Labor lawyer Allan Montaño. Completing the UNA senatorial ticket are reelectionist Sens. Vicente Sotto III, Panfilo Lacson, Richard Gordon, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Lakas Rep. Martin Romualdez of Leyte and migrant-worker advocate Susan Ople. With Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz
NPA rebels kill Army lieutenant in encounter Miaa, Taguig prepare for All Saints’ Day rush By Rene Acosta
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N Army junior officer was killed on Sunday when government forces clashed with New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in Occidental Mindoro. Maj. Angelo Guzman, spokesman for the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command, identified the fatality as Lt. Mike Nollora, commander of Bravo Company of the Army’s Fourth Infantry Battalion. Nollora is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Masiglahi” Class of 2009. Guzman said that Nollora’s platoon was conducting security patrol at the mountainous area of barangay Batasan, San Jose town, at around 9:30 a.m. when the firefight happened. More or less 10 NPA rebels engaged the Army troops in a 10-minute firefight. Guzman said Nollora sustained a gunshot wound in
his left thigh. The officer was immediately given first aid and rushed to the casualty collection point for extrication but expired at around 11 a.m. “The area was mountainous. A helicopter was deployed to extricate him but unfortunately he expired,” Guzman said. Col. Gevin Edjawan, commander of the Army’s 203rd Infantry Brigade, ordered troops to conduct pursuit operations against the rebels. For his part, the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya expressed sadness for the death of Nollora. “It is sad that we lost a young commander and a good officer who was serving and protecting the people of Occidental Mindoro,” Visaya said. At the same time, Visaya vowed to intensify military operations against the NPA in Occidental Mindoro to win the peace in the island.
UNITED Nationalist Alliance (UNA)
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HE Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) will start implementing Oplan Undas 2015 on Tuesday, in anticipation of the increase in the number of arriving passengers, both international and domestic, for the commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. The agency said the plan is an added measures “to ensure safe, reliable and convenient operations at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in the next two weeks.” The Miaa said they have coordinated with the airlines concerned for the efficient processing of their passengers especially at the check-in counters. “Additional airline personnel will be deployed as needed to accommodate the increase in travelers,” the Miaa said in a statement. Check-in counters will be opened two hours before departure of a domestic flight, while three hours are alloted for international flights. Airline counters would be closed 45 minutes before departure. Maximum deployment of security personnel will be observed at the Naia, as the “no leave” policy will be kept by the Airport Police Department (APD) during the entire duration of Oplan Undas, the Miaa information office added. Miaa General Manager Jose Angel Honrado said: “At the heart of Oplan Undas is the passenger. We want to make sure that traveling will be as hassle-free as possible as we observe the solemnity of the occasion.” An estimated 50,000 passengers daily are expected to use the Naia for the holidays. As a high volume of people are expected to troop to
A man cleans and repaints a tomb at the Manila North Cemetery in preparation for the traditional observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2. PNA
the nine cemeteries in Taguig City, the local government implemented its own Oplan Undas 2015. Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano said that the local government will ensure the convenience and security of those who will go to the cemeteries. “Every year, we always prepare for this holiday as we have nine of the largest cemeteries in Metro Manila. We will do our best to make sure nothing untoward happens during this day,” she said.
Dust particles in Cebu’s air now beyond safe limits
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EBU CITY—The Environmental Management Bureau’s (EMB) regional officer in Central Visayas said on Monday that dust particles in Cebu’s air have gone beyond safe limits as “smaze,” a combination of smoke and haze, continues to hover over the central Philippine province. The smaze has affected parts of Mindanao and the Visayas, including Metro Cebu. William Cuñado, EMB Central Visayas director, said the amount of small particles, or particulate, matter, measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter in Cebu’s air reached 85.70 micrograms per cubic meter in a test on Sunday. The limit is 75 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the National Ambient Air Quality Guideline Values of the Philippine Clean Air Act.
Cuñado said the agency has sent letters to the region’s governors along with the latest ambient air-quality monitoring data. He said the data will guide the governors and mayors and give them a basis to procure N95 masks and protective goggles for constituents, especially those suffering from asthma and other respiratory ailments. He said the N95 mask is available in pharmacies, while the protective goggles can be acquired in hardware stores. Cuñado said those who cannot afford to buy N95 mask may use a wet handkerchief or towel. He also advised exercise buffs to avoid jogging or exercising outdoors as the smaze persists. Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) advised the people, particularly the
elderly, children and those with asthma or other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPDs) on ways of coping with the risks of haze. DOH Spokesman Lyndon Lee Suy said the haze from the forest fires in Indonesia can cause air pollution, which can bring about increased risks for respiratory tract infections and cardiac ailments. In a DOH advisory, Lee Suy said it is important for the vulnerable sectors of the population to stay indoors with good ventilation. He added that it will help if appropriate dust masks will be worn when going outside the house. Lee Suy also said that refraining from physical activities in heavily populated areas is another way to counter haze so
that the body may gain and maintain its strength or natural immune system. He added that staying away from lowlying areas where smoke and suspended particles tend to accumulate can help. “Tune in to the radio or television for more health advisories and, most important, consult the doctor if there is difficulty of breathing, cough, chest pain, increase tearing of eyes and nose and throat irritation,” he said. He stressed that if a person feels something abnormal in his body, it is very important to seek consultation with a doctor for early treatment and better management. The DOH official also reminded motorists that if they encounter haze on the roads, they should exercise extreme caution to prevent accidents. PNA
Recto L. Mercene and Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco