Vote for the opposition — Otso Diretso moms

MANILA, Philippines — Mothers of the senatorial bets of Otso Diretso have appealed to their fellow mothers to vote for opposition candidates on Monday’s elections.

“Mothers and women in general need candidates who have the will to protect their welfare and dignity,” Zeny Tañada, mother of Erin Tañada, said during a forum in Makati. 

Bam Aquino’s mother Melanie said the senator started joining anti-martial law rallies when he was six years old. 

The mothers of Chel Diokno, Florin Hilbay and Samira Gutoc also attended the forum.

Romulo Macalintal’s wife Mila asked voters to elect the lawyer, whom she described as a man of dignity and integrity. 

Environmental agenda

Only nine senatorial candidates in Monday’s midterm elections have an environmental agenda, according to a survey released yesterday by the largest network of civil society organizations working on environmental policy.

The Green Thumb Coalition (GTC) said Neri Colmenares of the Makabayan bloc ranked first with a score of 84 percent.

He was followed by Otso Diretso bet Diokno, 82 percent; labor leader Leody de Guzman, 77 percent; Hilbay, 71 percent, and Aquino, 69 percent.

Completing the list are Conrado Generoso, Samira Gutoc, Grace Poe and Erin Tañada.

Out of 35 candidates who received GTC scorecard, only nine responded. They were scored based on their responses, track record, pronouncements, linkages and proposed policies.

Meanwhile, the camp of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos denounced the demolition job and dirty tactics employed by her rivals in a bid to derail her senatorial bid.

Marcos denied spreading fake sample ballots.

“My detractors have been distributing fake sample ballots containing only my name in the list of senatorial candidates. They are trying to create the impression that I am campaigning for a single vote only in my favor,” she said.

“I will not abandon the candidates of Hugpong ng Pagbabago,” she added.

Marcos appealed to her supporters to disregard the fake sample ballots being distributed even in her hometown in Ilocos Norte and in Mindanao.

Senatorial candidate and former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile vowed to use his 50 years of service in government if elected.

“I intend to bring my years of experience, knowledge and recollection of past laws and programs for this last term in the Senate,” he said. “I have never been more ready to serve as a senator as I am now.”

The 95-year-old Enrile showed no signs of weakness as he wooed voters in Mandaluyong, San Juan, Caloocan, Pasig and Cainta in Rizal this week.

Enrile will be the oldest senator in Philippine history if he wins.

“During the campaign, I forgot that I was 95 years old. The young people have been the most supportive,” he said.

Enrile served in the Senate for four terms.

Broadcast journalist and senatorial bet Jiggy Manicad asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to make an inventory and disclose the location of backup vote-counting machines (VCMs) to be used in Monday’s polls.

Manicad said he would petition the Comelec to allow poll watchers and political parties to monitor the VCMs to prevent tampering.

He said the backup VCMs should be accounted for to preserve the integrity of the elections.

“The possibility of fraud is not remote. There are candidates who will attempt to cheat,” he said.

Manicad urged voters to remain vigilant to prevent fraud during the elections. – With Louise Maureen Simeon, Rhodina Villanueva, Jose Rodel Clapano