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Philippines Next President

Who will be the next person to run our country? There are 5 contenders and you decide who you would like it to be… at the end of the story, please go to Vote Here – this is a survey from PhilNews.com!

With the election underway, the top contenders or “presidentiables” as the Filipinos call them see below the top 5 contenders in alphabetical order by last name…

Noynoy Aquino—Noynoy has been leading the pack of presidential aspirants from the moment he decided to run. Buoyed by the public outpouring of support during his mother, Cory Aquino’s funeral. He is seen as the heir to the Aquino legacy started by his father Ninoy who was assassinated during the Marcos dictatorship, then followed by his mother Cory who later toppled the dictator and led the country for six years. Noynoy’s rivals accuse him having achieved little for all his years in public office.

Erap Estrada—Erap who was removed from office barely two years into his presidency now wants it back. Among all the candidates, Erap is the only known quantity having already served as president. Unfortunately there are those who say that his two years in office showed that he was unqualified for the job. Still Erap is banking on his popularity with the masses to elect him back into office.

Dick Gordon—Unlike Erap, many see Dick Gordon as well qualified to be president. His stints as Mayor of Olongapo City, chairman of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Secretary of Tourism, Head of the Philippine Red Cross and now Senator, give him the breadth of experience for the Country’s top post.

Gibo Teodoro—Gibo is a seen as a sharp US-educated technocrat who served well as President Arroyo’s Secretary of Defense. He also belongs to what was seen only six months ago as the largest and most powerful political party in the country. His political ties to Gloria Arroyo however now seem to be the biggest liability in his quest for the presidency.

Manny Villar—Manny has an inspiring rags-to-riches story that he is using to bolster his campaign and get the votes of the lower classes. A billionaire real estate businessman and current Senator, Manny is using his vast financial resources and political clout to move up in the polls. Currently in second place,  he has been closing in on frontrunner Noynoy Aguino.

Thank PhilNews.com for this story as it was an editorial.

Clan Chief, Son planned a massacre…

I found this story on Canadian Press – its very sad as many people died from this massacre and still very sad to hear that we still are fighting when we all should try to get along no matter what your beliefs are! *Sigh*…. many guns were found, more like an arsenal of guns/ammunitions…

By Teresa Cerojano (CP) – 2 days ago

MANILA, Philippines — A powerful clan chief and his son plotted a massacre in the southern Philippines that killed 57 rivals and journalists, ordering local officials to hire gunmen and recruiting militiamen for the slayings, a court heard Wednesday.

Muhammad Sangki, a local town councillor, testified that the son of the Ampatuan clan’s patriarch led dozens of men in blocking the victims’ convoy as they travelled to register the gubernatorial candidacy of a clan rival then tried to identify each of them before they were shot Nov. 23.

The massacre was the worst election-related violence in Philippines history. It came in the run-up to national polls due in May, highlighting the violent sway of warlords in the Southeast Asian nation’s volatile democracy. More than 30 journalists and their staff were among those killed, the deadliest single attack on media workers in the world.

It drew international condemnation and prompted President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to declare martial law for a week in southern Maguindanao province and crack down on the powerful Ampatuan clan – once her key political ally – and its private army.

Sangki told the heavily guarded court at the national police headquarters that the main suspect, town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., planned the massacre at a Nov. 20 meeting with the province’s deputy police chief and around 40 to 50 men armed with rifles.

Sangki said Ampatuan Jr. paid and armed several police auxiliary force members to help carry out the killings of members of the rival Mangudadatu clan, while Ampatuan’s father, a former Maguindanao governor, ordered several mayors to hire gunmen who would later block the convoy of the massacre victims… Read more….