Campaign period ends at midnight; liquor ban on

The Commission on Elections has announced that the 90-day campaign period ends at midnight, and the liquor ban will move in.

The end of the campaign period signals the implementation of various prohibited acts tomorrow and on election day (Monday) aas provided for by the Omnibus Election Code.

James Jimenez, Comelec spokesperson assured the people that preparations for the automated polls has reached 98% and that the main concern which the Comelec is watching now is the delivery of the compact flash cards.

Click here for full article from the Philippine Star

Be gracious losers, CBCP tells poll bets

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) is calling on all candidates for this Monday’s election not to be sore losers and to accept defeat graciously.

CBCP president and Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar said that candidates should learn to accept their defeat incase they don’t win the National and Local Elections on Monday.

It may be recalled that a presidential candidate said only a failure of the automated election system will make him lose the race to Malacanang due to his strong showing in almost all pre-election surveys.

Ochimar also reminded candidates not to practice vote-buying by letting the electorate freely choose their own candidates.

The prelate also added that the people should not believe everything that they hear, especially those that feed on their fears such as the failure of elections.

Click here for full article from the Manila Bulletin

Binay ties Roxas in recent polls

Manila, Philippines – PMP Vice- presidentiable Jejomar Binay has tied Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas in the race according to the latest poll surveys of SWS.

Binay reacts by saying he expects his ratings to go higher. In the SWS survey of 2,400 voters from May 2 to 3, support for Binay jumped 12 points, from 25 percent in April to 37 percent. Roxas’ rating fell two points, from 39 to 37 percent.

Sen. Loren Legarda, the NP vice presidentiable suffered a 12-point plunge, from 24 to 12 percent.

The full report of the survey will be first printed in BusinessWorld.

Click here for full article from Inquirer.net

Malacanang laughs off, belies “Oplan Rafael”

Malacañang laughed off what it calls “creative speculation” to elevate fears of an the president clinging on to power after May 10.

According to Deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar in radio reports, “Oplan Rafael,” or the acronym for “Retain Arroyo through Failure of Elections,” as claimed by a militant party list, is a concoction by creative cause oriented groups who could not present evidence.

Olivar maintained the speculation is baseless in as much as Mrs. Arroyo is already running for a congressional seat in Pampanga.

Few days ago, militant group Bayan Muna claimed the malfunctioning of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the May 10 polls are part of “Oplan Rafael.”

The Commission on Elections, however, insisted the May 10 polls will push through as scheduled, after tracing the problem to improperly programmed memory cards.

Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo cited supposedly ominous signs like Defense chief Norberto Gonzales Jr.’s reported warning about a failure of elections and “unresolved” automation problems.

But Olivar pointed out Mrs. Arroyo is already campaigning for a congressional seat in her home province of Pampanga. (PIA)

Comelec personnel reshuffle effected

A reshuffling of elections officers all over Bohol came in effect last April 19 has assured the people that no election officer may show bias to his local chief executive.

New Tagbilaran City Election Officer Atty. Ricardo Villares bared this as he stressed that the rigodon should put election officers away from the allegations that they are conniving with the mayors and other local officials to assure their victories.

Villares, who came from vote-rich Loon also said the Commission on Elections has almost finished its preparations for the elections.

Other than testing and sealing the Precinct Count Optical Scanners (PCOS) the Comelec would also have to attempt to transmit the results of a test run within the next few days.

Bohol election officer Eliseo Labaria Jr also said he hopes polls in Bohol would go smooth and peaceful, urging losing candidates to candidly accept defeat and stop being sore losers by spinning tales of being cheated. (PIA Bohol)