Monthly Archives: December 2015

Law Enforcement, Politics

LENI ROBREDO WITHDRAWS CANDIDACY AS LIBERAL PARTY VP CANDIDATE!

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Robredo
Robredo

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – If there is a poster lady for the Aquino administration’s mantra of daang matuwid (straight path), it is none other than Congresswoman Leni Robredo, who is the Liberal Party’s vice presidential candidate.  She is law-abiding, lives a life of simplicity, and has no qualms about criticizing the adminsitration or her party for failed policies or programs, as well as missteps.

So it is not surprising that today, she withdrew her candidacy as LP presidential candidate Mar Roxas’ running mate.

The reason? Roxas just violated the law.

Rules of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) prohibit candidates from early campaigning.  For the 2016 presidential elections, the campaign period set by the elections body is February 9 to May 7.

Roxas’ campaign, however, has just released a music video featuring celebrities and sports personalities which is obviously a campaign material in violation of the law.

While Robredo participated and appeared in the video, she told The Adobo Chronicles that she had no idea that the campaign material would be released this early.  She thought it was recorded for release on or after February 9.

Well, the video has gone viral but has also become exhibit A, in an elections violation case that could be filed against Roxas and the Liberal Party.

Robredo wants no part of  the illegal activity, so she decideed to withdraw her VP candidacy.

Good for her.

Government, Politics

PHILIPPINES’ ELECTIONS COMMISSION (COMELEC) RULES TO DISQUALIFY ALL FIVE MAJOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

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L-R: Duterte, Poe, Binay, Roxas, Santiago
L-R: Duterte, Poe, Binay, Roxas, Santiago

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – In a move that’s unprecedented in the history of Philippine politics, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has ruled to disqualify all five major candidates for president from running in the 2016 elections.  For various reasons.

Polls frontrunner Senator Grace Poe has been disqualified on the grounds that she is not a natural-born Filipino citizen as required by the Constitution. She also appeared to lack the residency requirement even if she were a natural-born citizen. She was a dual citizen (U.S. and Philippines) at some point.

Vice President Jejomar Binay  has been barred because of pending corruption charges against him while he was mayor of Makati City.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was disqualified on technicality.  He filed his Certificate of  Candidacy (COC) after the deadline set by the elections body. His argument for being a substitute candidate didn’t convince the commissioners because the candidate he was substituting for had previously withdrawn his candidacy.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago was named a “nuisance candidate” by COMELEC because of her cancer diagnosis. “How can she fulfill the duties of president if she has terminal cancer,” the commissioners said.  Santiago, however, asserts that she has had a remission from her cancer, and the COMELEC ruling angered health and disability advocates.

As for former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas (the anointed candidate of the Aquino administration), his disqualification was based on violation of rules on early campaigning.  Roxas just released a music video which was obviously a campaign material to promote his candidacy and that of his vice presidential running mate Congresswoman Leni Robredo.

So where does the 2016 Philippine presidential elections stand?

Back to square one.  COMELEC will soon announce deadlines for new candidacy filing for president.

Politics

NEXT DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE WILL INCLUDE REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM

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L-R: Sanders, Clinton, O'Malley, Graham
L-R: Sanders, Clinton, O’Malley, Graham

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (The Adobo Chronicles) – When the next Republican presidential debate unforlds in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 15, Senator Lindsey Graham will not be among the top tier debaters, nor be included in the kids’ table or second tier debate.

But on December 19, when the remaining Democratic presidential candidates debate on stage in New Hampshire, Graham will be the fourth debater.

The Democratic National Committee recently decided to invite Graham to the next debate because he is the most democratic among the Republican candidates and is practically on the same side as Democrats on almost all issues. Nothing could be a better vindication of Graham than his speech before the Republican Jewish Coalition in Washington, D.C. the other day.

In his off-script speech, Graham lambasted his fellow presidential candidates and others in the Republican Party for making such a big issue on immigration, abortion, terrorism, Obamacare and other hot-button topics.  He was specifically critical of Senator Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. He said that the Republican Party will definitely lose the 2016 presidential election because the GOPers are focusing on the wrong side of the issues.

Graham reiterated his fuill support for Israel while assuring the audience that he will be the Republican U.S. president that will work with Democrats, or rather, the Democratic president that will work with  Republicans.