COULD MARTIAL LAW IN MAGUINDANAO BE A COVER TO HUNT FOR EVIDENCE OF CHEATING IN 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS?

6 DECEMBER 2009

REFERENCE: JOEY SALGADO

Makati Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) president Jejomar C. Binay expressed fears that the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao could be a ruse to allow authorities to hunt for evidence of election fraud during the 2004 presidential election reportedly still in the possession of the Ampatuans.

“There have reports that the Ampatuans have threatened to make the Arroyo administration pay by telling all they know about the massive cheating in the province during the 2004 presidential elections,” he said.

“If such reports are true, then this reduces the martial law proclamation into a hunt for evidence of election fraud,” he added.

Binay, a human rights lawyer who had been detained when martial law was imposed in 1972, also called for vigilance in the face of government’s efforts to downplay the restrictions on human rights.

“The next few days will be crucial. This is the time to be vigilant, and to be prepared to respond to a looming threat to our democracy and our way of life,” he said.

The Makati mayor said great care is being taken to present martial law in Maguindanao as different from martial law in 1972. “It is a supposedly a smiling martial law, without the restrictions that are associated with martial law,” he said.

“Those of us who lived through, suffered, and fought during the martial law years can attest that there is no such thing as smiling martial law,” he added.

Mrs. Arroyo signed Proclamation 1959 placing the entire province of Maguindanao under martial law, citing the threat of rebellion in the province following the arrest of a scion of the powerful Ampatuan clan identified as the mastermind of the gruesome massacre of civilians –including women and journalists - in November.

But Binay said the various conditions cited by Palace officials for justifying the declaration of martial law in the province have been disputed by the Supreme Court and known legal luminaries.

“The claim that there is a state of rebellion is factually doubtful since the mere sighting of armed men does not constitute rebellion. And the Supreme Court itself had denied government’s claim that the courts in Maguindanao are not functioning,” Binay said.

With the factual basis and legal basis for the declaration of martial law in doubt, Binay said the question arises as to the real motive behind the declaration of martial law in Maguindanao.

If the Ampatuans’ threat to expose the extensive cheating in the province during the 2004 presidential elections is proven true, Binay said the Arroyo administration is “committing another injustice to the victims of the Maguindanao massacre.”

“They are exploiting the nation’s outrage to cover up another serious crime, that of stealing the 2004 elections,” he said.

“It would now appear that the Arroyo administration is using the full might of the state – the Armed Forces, the police and all agencies of government - to recover original election returns or certificates of canvass reportedly in the possession of the Ampatuans,” he said.

“A state of martial law will allow the administration to conduct raids and searches without going through the courts,” he added.

Maguindanao has long been considered an administration bailiwick, delivering the votes for Mrs. Arroyo in the 2004 presidential elections over opposition bet Fernando Poe Jr.

In the “Hello Garci” recordings, former election commissioner Virgilio Garcillano mentioned that “there would be no problem” for Mrs. Arroyo in Maguindanao.

FIVE OUTSTANDING MOTHERS OF MAKATI FOR 2009 FETED

PRESS RELEASE

06 DECEMBER 2009

REF.: MAKATI ICRD, 8998938, 8998954

In keeping with a tradition that it has observed for the past 15 years, the city government of Makati will be paying homage to exceptional mothers chosen as this year’s Five Outstanding Mothers of Makati on December 7 at 11am at the Office of the Mayor.

Mayor Jejomar C. Binay will be joined by Councilor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay, Jr. and other city officials and guests at the proclamation and awarding ceremonies organized by the city’s Museum and Cultural Affairs Office (MCAO).The program will be hosted by broadcast media educator Chichi Fajardo Robles.

The city’s five outstanding mothers for 2009 are Dr. Iva C. Anastacio of barangay Guadalupe Nuevo, Mrs. Georgina S. Boado of Sta. Cruz, Mrs. Milagros L. Camus of Bel-Air, Mrs. Digna Roxas of Palanan, and Mrs. Erlandy R. Tamayo of Guadalupe Nuevo.The winners will each receive a trophy and a medallion.

Mayor Binay hailed the awardees for their exemplary achievements not only as mothers, but also as community leaders.

“ Makati honors and recognizes these exceptional women for their immeasurable contributions to society.This undertaking is but a humble tribute to them who have successfully reared upstanding citizens and great future leaders of the nation, while actively engaging in building their communities as well,” Binay said.

Binay will also host a luncheon at his office after the awarding ceremonies in honor of the present and past awardees.

Now on its 16^th year, the annual search and proclamation of the Five Outstanding Mothers of Makati aims to highlight the value of motherhood and the vital role played by mothers in shaping the youth and the society.

The winners were chosen based on the nominations made by barangay captains, churches, school principals and different civic organizations in Makati .

The following criteria were used to determine the winners: (1) a bonafide resident of Makati ;(2) a professional or career-oriented mother; (3) a professional or non-professional working mother; (4) active in civic and social work; and (5) continuously involved in activities that contribute to her own improvement and growth for the benefit of the community.

BINAY – PEOPLE OF MAGUINDANAO ARE PAYING THE PRICE FOR MRS. ARROYO’S CODDLING OF AMPATUANS

PRESS STATEMENT

5 DECEMBER 2009

REF: JOEY SALGADO

Makati Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) President Jejomar C. Binay today issued the following statement on the imposition of Martial Law in Maguindanao:

It is ironic that the Arroyo administration now considers martial law as a last recourse to discipline a political ally. Ang mga mamamayan ng Maguindanao ang maaapektuhan ng kakulangan ng pamahalaan na ipatupad ang batas.

The tense situation in Maguindanao is the result of the Arroyo administration’s unequal application of the law. It has tolerated the misdeeds of political allies like the Ampatuans for so long that they consider themselves above the law. The people of Maguindanao are the victims of this misguided policy of political accommodation.

The administration wants to belatedly project toughness, but it comes at the expense of the rights of the people of Maguindanao.

What is needed in Maguindanao is for the government to fully enforce the law.

FORMER OFWS RECOUNT ORDEAL IN MALAYSIA, BINAY PRESSES GOVT FOR MORE PROTECTION

05 DECEMBER 2009

REF.:Joey Salgado, 8998938

Four overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who had been stranded in Malaysia recounted their ordeal before Makati Mayor Jejomar C. Binay shortly after they arrived Friday, prompting the opposition leader to again press the national administration to provide more protection for Filipino OFWs.

Binay met with the four OFWs, namely, Nora Goliata, Florida Concepcion, Frieda Samson, and Ella Romano, who went to his office at City Hall to make a courtesy call and thank the mayor, who personally shouldered the costs of their plane tickets.

The repatriated OFWs, who had been hired as domestic helpers through illegal recruiters and suffered a similar fate, expressed their gratitude to the mayor for helping them come home and be with their loved ones in time for Christmas.

Aside from their airfare from Kuala Lumpur, Binay has also provided for their transportation expenses in going home to their respective provinces.He also vowed to help them in seeking employment through the Makati Public Employment Services Office (PESO).

Over lunch, the four recounted their sad experiences in Malaysia.

Goliata, a 26-year old single parent from Leyte, said that she left for Malaysia in September last year to work as a domestic helper, supposedly for a two-year contract.However, her employers refused to pay her salary for months and even maltreated her, leaving her with no choice but to escape and seek refuge at the Philippine embassy.

Romano, 27, who hails from Bonbon, Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro, left her three children to work as a domestic helper in Malaysia last June, but her employers not only refused to pay her salary, but often deprived her of food and physically abused her. She, too, was forced to escape three months later for fear that she would end up dead like many fellow OFWs.

Meanwhile, the two sisters from Meycauayan, Bulacan, Concepcion, 39 and Samson, 27, both left the country for Malaysia last March. Concepcion, a widow with one child, said she and her sister were soon dismayed with the poor treatment they got from their employers, including the non-payment of their salaries.Samson, married with one child, said she was even slapped by a Malaysia-based agent when her employer ‘returned’ her because she was sick.

About a month earlier, Binay met the four OFWs while visiting Salome Arboleda, a Makati resident whom he helped return to the country in early November.Binay, national president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, was then in Kuala Lumpur for the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference.

Binay reiterated his call to concerned national government agencies and lawmakers to review the government’s policy direction on employment, which he said was geared towards market development and aggressive deployment of OFWs.

“There is an urgent need to review and re-evaluate the said policy because it seems to be promoting the exportation of ‘cheap’ labor while institutionalizing government-imposed fees and recruitment charges, without giving ample protection for millions of our OFWs,” Binay said.

The mayor said that although remittances from our OFWs have been keeping the economy afloat, the Arroyo administration has failed to provide them with adequate protection in foreign countries.

UNO DOESNT SHARE COMELEC’S OPTIMISM ON PULSE ASIA SURVEY RESULTS; SAYS POLL BODY SHOULD NOT FORGET PURGING OF VOTERS’ LIST

4 DECEMBER 2009

REF: JOEY SALGADO

The UNO leader earlier raised fears of widespread confusion on election day unless the Comelec embarks on an intensive education campaign and address poll-related issues.

Binay had said that the Comelec should be reminded that “the people will only have one chance to use these voting machines.”

“Unlike automated teller machines where people learned to use it after repeated practice, these voting machines will be seen and used by the voters only on election day so we can expect confusion. The Comelec should be prepared for this, but right now we do not see any action,” he said.

BINAY - ARROYO WON’T BE SPEAKER UNDER ESTRADA ADMINISTRATION, AND AROYO-LED CHA-CHA WON’T PROSPER

On Wednesday, a Palace official confirmed that Mrs. Arroyo intends to pursue Charter Change if she gets elected to Congress. Arroyo allies –including Cabinet members and government officials – will be running for House seats, a move intended to pack the incoming Congress with enough allies to win the Speakership and revive the failed attempt to amend the Constitution.

“May kasabihan sa Pilipino, ang isda ay nahuhuli sa bibig. We got it straight from a Palace official himself that Charter Change will be a priority of Mrs. Arroyo,” Binay said.

Earlier, the Makati mayor warned that the next president will always be under the threat of a “constitutional coup” from an Arroyo-led House of Representatives.

And such a scenario would create political instability, making it difficult for the next president and his administration to address the more urgent problems facing the country.

As Speaker, Binay said Mrs. Arroyo “will be in a position to grab power from whoever is elected president.”

BINAY GAINS HIGHEST APPROVAL RATING IN PULSE ASIA SURVEY

02 DECEMBER 2009

REF: JOEY SALGADO

Makati Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) President Jejomar C. Binay garnered the highest approval rating among top government officials of the country according to a recent survey conducted by Pulse Asia.

Binay ranked first with a 62 percent approval rating nationwide. He is the running mate of former President Joseph Estrada under the UNO banner.

Aside from Binay, the survey measured the performance approval ratings of Cabinet officials and ranking government executives, among them Lakas-KAMPI standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro who was Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary at the time the survey was taken. Teodoro garnered 39 per cent approval in the survey conducted from October 22 to 30.

Others in the list were Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus; Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III; Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Joseph Ace Durano; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Esperanza Cabral; Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno; and Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Arthur Yap.

The survey likewise measured the ratings of Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Margarito Teves, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Augusto Syjuco Jr., and Local Water and Utilities Administration Head Prospero Pichay Jr.

“The survey results show that the public acknowledge Mayor Binay’s accomplishments as an executive. It shows that the people see Binay’s governance as effective and that his programs do contribute to improving the lives of his constituents,” Binay’s spokesman, Lito Anzures said.

The Pulse Asia survey likewise showed a 10 percent increase in Binay’s approval rating from 52 percent in a survey conducted October last year. Also according to the survey,Binay’s performance rating is consistent across all demographics and areas in the country, having no extreme highs or lows.

According to Pulse Asia, Binay was followed by Lapus with a 52 percent approval rating; Duque, 52 percent; Durano, 49 percent; Syjuco, 45 percent; Cabral, 45 percent; Puno, 42 percent; Yap, 40 percent; Teodoro, 39 percent; Pichay, 29 percent and Teves, 24 percent.

In its survey, Pulse Asia revealed that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo garnered an approval rating of 21 percent across the country. The survey also showed a high 51 percent disapproval rating for Mrs. Arroyo.

The Pulse Asia survey was conducted using face-to-face interview with 1,800 respondents. It has a margin of error of plus/minus 2 percent.

PHOTO RELEASE

27 NOVEMBER 2009

Ref: Makati ICRD, 8998954

WORLD RECORD. A 32,000-square foot photo mosaic of Makati Mayor Jejomar C. Binay is unveiled at the University of Makati Track Oval as part of the city’s attempt to enter into the Guinness World Records. The City of Makati is aiming to have the record for largest photo mosaic by beating the current record holder, a 9,625-square foot image created by the Big Picture project, which was unveiled in Birmingham, United Kingdom last August 23, 2008.

MAKATI AIMS FOR GUINNESS SPOT WITH WORLD’S LARGEST PHOTO MOSAIC

PRESS RELEASE

November 26, 2009

REFERENCE: MAKATI ICRD, 8998938

Makati will attempt to enter into the Guinness World Records for having the largest photo mosaic featuring the many facets of the city, all forming a large image of Mayor Jejomar C. Binay.

The entry seeking to break the present world record for a photo mosaic will be unveiled on Friday, November 27, 10am at the University of Makati Track and Field Oval.

Photos comprising the mosaic will show Makati as premier business district, as well as the other facets of the city featuring the quality of life of its citizenry.

The mosaic is made up of a total of P120,000 individual photos.

The current largest photo mosaic in the Guinness records measures 9,625 square feet. It was created by the Big Picture project and was unveiled at the Millenium Point in Birmingham, United Kingdom last August 23, 2008.

The Makati photo mosaic is printed on a tarpaulin measuring 200 feet x 160 feet, or a total area of 32,000 square feet, which is almost four times the size of the current world record. It is also considered the biggest billboard in the country.

An area of 32,000 square feet can fit in eight NBA basketball courts, or 400 parked cars, or 20,000 people.

The entire tarpaulin material used weighed-in at two metric tons, while it is just .42 millimeter thick. The digital file used to print the whole photo mosaic image has required 3.9 T.B. or terabytes and total computer time of 4,000 hours.

The photo mosaic has been produced courtesy of TMV Productions, a film production outfit.

BINAY HITS PALACE “LAME EXCUSE” ON FAILURE TO STOP KILLINGS OF JOURNALISTS

PRESS RELEASE

26 NOVEMBER 2009

REFERENCE: JOEY SALGADO

Makati Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) president Jejomar C. Binay deplored Malacanang for rationalizing its failure to stop the killing of journalists, describing it as a lame excuse for its failure to enforce the rule of law.

“For Malacanang to say it does not have full control of the situation – and for administration officials to beg understanding by saying they are only human - is to admit that the present administration has failed to govern, that it has failed to enforce the rule of law,” he said.

“Under the present administration, journalism has become a dangerous profession. And when most media killings go unresolved, it only emboldens criminal elements to go after journalists,” he said.

Media groups have reported that with the November 23 killings, the number of journalists killed in the line of duty this year has reached 30.

The opposition leader said despite the creation of a task force on media killings and a Palace directive to go after suspects in the killing of journalists, the administration has thus far failed to resolve cases.

The seeming inaction of government emboldens criminal elements, he said.

“Unless the administration takes decisive action to bring the killers of journalists to justice, it cannot escape the criticism that it is tolerating these criminal acts,” he said.

Local and foreign media organizations have condemned the killings, with the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) describing it as “an assault on the Constitution itself and the freedom of the press and of expression it enshrines, and the people’s right to know which these freedoms serve.”

The journalists were part of convoy to cover the filing of the certificate of candidacy of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, who is planning to run against the son of Gov. Andal Ampatuan for the gubernatorial seat.