‘Pray before you vote’ – Archbishop Soc

DAGUPAN CITY – As the 2016 polls draw near, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas reminded the voting public to reject vote-buying, as he endorsed the “One Good Vote” advocacy of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV).

“One Good Vote” is a flagship program of the PPCRV launched in Pangasinan recently for voters education and advocacy in preparation for the 2016 polls. The launch was attended by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Luie Tito Guia and PPCRV Chairperson Henrietta de Villa.

“Your vote with God becomes good and if your vote becomes good, it will bring heaven on earth,” Villegas said.

“One Good Vote” is aimed at strengthening the personal and social

Mockery? In a 10-page motu proprio petition signed by Maria Norina TangaroCasingal, acting head of the Comelec’s law department, and two other lawyers, the Comelec legal office asked the Commission to “Declare Martin Diño as Nuisance Candidate and Refuse to Give Due Course To Or Cancel His Certificate of Candidacy.”

“It is clear that respondent has filed her (sic) COC to put the election process in mockery or disrepute... and that he has no bona fide intention to run for office of the President,” the petition claimed.

“While it is true that ‘the right to conscience of the Filipino people, urging them to vote with deeper discernment and reject all forms of vote-buying which is rampant during elections.

Villegas encouraged the voters to be one with the “One Good Vote” advocacy and urged them not to sell their votes.

“Voters must put God into their votes because whoever God holds, whoever will get the grace of God becomes good.”

“Don’t vote if you have not prayed, if you have not thought deeply and if your vote did not come from God,” Villegas added.

Lihuk In Cagayan de Oro City, concerned citizens have banded together to create a coalition that would vigorously campaign against vote buying in next year’s elections. “Lihuk 2016” was launched this week at the Jesuit-operated Xavier University with the following as members: NSTP Education Association in Region 10, National Movement

for vote and to be voted for shall not be dependent upon the wealth of the individual concerned, whereas social justice presupposes equal opportunity for all, rich and poor alike, and that, accordingly, no person shall, by reason of poverty, be denied the chance to be elected to public office,’ reality is a bitter pill that Respondent has to swallow,” the petition concluded.

Prejudged

In a statement through former North Cotabato governor Manny Piñol, PDP-Laban national chairman Ismael Sueno said Diño decided to withdraw his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) to Free Elections (Namfrel), Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, “Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan” and three associations inside the university.

“Lihuk” is a Cebuano word which means “undertaking.”

Nestor Banuag, spokesperson of “Lihuk,” said the group will partner with Catholic parishes all over the city to disseminate advocacies on voters’ awareness.

Banuag said that the group is also encouraging other non-Catholics to join the campaign in the spirit of volunteerism.

“We cannot partner with barangay officials because some of them are candidates. We want “Lihuk 2016” as a non-partisan group,” he said.

End of flight Meanwhile, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the 2016 elections will end the money-making venture of flying voters and election operators.

“To politicians who are gathering flying voters. Your efforts will be wasted. Those who will commit double registration will be stopped (from voting) by the biometrics,” Jimenez posted in his official Twitter account.

In 2016 elections, the poll body will require each voter to go through their Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) before being allowed to vote.

Under the AFIS, their fingerprints will be counter-checked by Comelec in its biometric database to make sure they will cast their vote in their assigned precinct. (with a report from Samuel Medenilla) pave the way for Duterte who earlier announced that he would yield to the decision of his national party.

Sueno chided the petition as a mockery of the election process. “It is this very petition of the Comelec legal department which prejudges Martin Diño’s true intention in filing his COC and belittles his capacity to wage a nation-wide campaign,” Sueno said.

“It is our inherent right as a political party of good standing which has participated in national elections since the 1980s to have a lineup of candidates to field. Our best bet is Mayor Duterte but since he failed to file his COC as President, the party opted to field Diño,” Sueno said.

“We could have fielded Senator Koko Pimentel and he could have also announced that in case our first choice, Mayor Duterte decides to run within the window allowed by law for substitution, he would yield. Would they have petitioned to declare Senator Pimentel as nuisance candidate?” Sueno asked.

Sueno said that PDP Laban, even with its meager resources, “will fight this mockery of the election process tooth and nail.”

“The true intent of a presidential candidate and his capacity to wage a national campaign cannot be determined by just three lawyers of the Comelec,” he said.

In a resolution, the PDP-Laban passed a resolution “compelling” Duterte to run for president in the event Diño is disqualified or withdraws from the race. (With a report from Mario B Casayuran)