LOOK: Vote and enjoy these discounts, freebies

MANILA -- After casting your vote on Monday, May 9, treat yourself by availing of these restaurant promos.

All you have to do is to show your finger marked with indelible ink as a proof that you voted.

These are not endorsed by ABS-CBN News.

1. Starbucks Philippines' "One for You, One to Share"

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

More than 40% of voters may still change minds before elections

MANILA - Despite a low percentage of voters saying they are still undecided, more than 40 percent are open to changing their minds weeks before the elections, based on survey results.

In the pre-debate program of the third and final leg of the #PiliPinasDebates2016 on Sunday at the University of Pangasinan, political analyst Prospero De Vera said that when asked about their likelihood to change voter preference before the elections, almost half answered in the affirmative.

De Vera said only 5 percent revealed that they are still undecided at this moment. However, more than 40% confirmed that they are still open to changing their minds until election day.

"In all the surveys that were asked, even if only 5 percent of voters say they have not chosen a presidential candidate, that looks small, only 5 percent,” De Vera said.

“But for the 95 percent who have chosen their presidential candidate, when they were asked the question, 'Can you still change your mind between now and Election Day?' more than 40% said they are still open to changing their minds," he explained.

"There is a big percentage of voters who can still change [voter preference]," he added.

Moreover, De Vera emphasized the significance of the last few weeks leading to Election Day.

According to the political analyst, more than a quarter of the voting public make their decision in the last three weeks of the campaign.

"Another important thing to remember is, in the surveys that were run, not only now but also in previous elections, as many as 26 percent of voters say they make their decision in the last three weeks of the campaign," De Vera said.

Sunday's debate hosted by ABS-CBN, in cooperation with Manila Bulletin, marked the start of the last two weeks leading to the May 9 national elections.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Duterte's son 'captivated' by Miriam, has unusual request

MANILA -- The son of presidential bet, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has issued a request to his father's rival, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, ahead of the final presidential debate Sunday.

"I wish you all the best. P.S. Bring the best out of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, give him the fight of a lifetime!" Sebastian said in a Facebook post Sunday.

Sebastian also wished Santiago luck, as he recalled the time he saw the senator in person.

"I feel so lucky that I had the chance to have a picture with you. To my surprise, you even went over to me when my friend asked for a photo. I was so captivated by your presence that I did not know what to do," Sebastian said.

Santiago's camp said the meet-and-greet took place at the Davao City airport before the senator left for Manila last week.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Will Duterte's rape remark affect his candidacy?

Presidential candidate Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has been getting flak from various sectors over his remark on the rape and murder of an Australian missionary more than 20 years ago.

Will the recent controversy affect Duterte's candidacy three weeks before the elections?

-ANC's The World Tonight, April 18, 2016

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Duterte rape remark 'normalizes' rape culture: rights group

A women's rights group expressed alarm over Davao City Mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte's remarks on the rape-slay of an Australian missionary, saying it normalizes rape culture.

Jean Enriquez, executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women – Asia Pacific, said Duterte's remarks can have a huge effect on the public because of his position as a public official and solid following.

"For us who have been working on the issue of sexual violence, including rape, for decades, it really pushes back what we have been doing for a long time—that is, educating the public on the problem with rape, the problem of normalizing it, the problem of creating a rape culture which downplays the harms that rape does to women," she said.

She shared that several sexual violence survivors became "very emotional" after hearing the mayor's remark. Some of the sexual violence survivors said the language used by Duterte is similar to how pimps would talk to their victims.

"A lot of them broke down because they have been working hard to heal themselves and then they would hear someone of authority downplay rape," she said.

"Ganyan magsalita yung mga bugaw sa kanila: na dapat sila muna ang mauna bago sila gamitin ng mga customers."

"This continuum of sexual violence is also being normalized," she added.

Not only did the mayor's remark hurt women, but Enriquez said this is also insulting to men and the poor by generalizing that it's "gutter language" that is common among men and those who grew up in slum areas.

"This does not define men. This does not define poor people. That’s also terribly insulting for poor people to say that a certain language could be attributable to them," she said.

She said men should be "revolted by his statement."

A viral video earlier showed Duterte, 71, telling supporters he was angry that a "beautiful" woman had been murdered. He said inmates had lined up to rape her and it was a "waste" because as mayor, he should have been first.

Duterte later apologized to the Filipino people but said the statement was made in the heat of anger.

"I'm sorry in general because I can't say sorry to a particular entity or person. I'm sorry to the Filipino people, it's my style, it's my mouth, I said it in anger - listen to the story behind it," he said.

"It was not a joke, I said it in a narrative. I was not smiling, I was just talking plain sense narrative because I know when I talk about that particular episode in my life, people might say I changed something, that's why I kept the womanising, I'm letting it all out,' he added.

ON LOYALISTS DEFENDING DUTERTE

Meanwhile, Enriquez said she is disturbed by how some of Duterte's supporters are defending the mayor's remarks.

"Blind loyalty is, I believe, pushing supporters to find all sorts of justification for what he says or what he does."

Some loyal supporters have said that the mayor gave this statement at the heat of anger and not lust. Enriquez, however, said: "No anger, no culture, no context can justify a statement—I might not even call it a joke anymore because that trivializes it—that one should go first before others."

With the election season at a high, she added that this "doesn’t help our people."

"Elections are supposed to be looking after the interest of our people in general. This is not just about individual choices. It is about time that we look at this exercise as about the interest of the collective, of the people—and that includes us women."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Duterte tops new SWS survey

MANILA - Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte wrestled the top spot of presidential race away from Senator Grace Poe, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The poll, conducted on March 30 - April 2 and commissioned by BusinessWorld, saw 27% of the candidates picking the tough-talking mayor.

In the survey conducted after the second presidential debate in Cebu, Duterte surged four points from his 23% in the March 8 - 11 SWS survey.

Poe, meanwhile, ranked second with 23%, six percentage points down from her 29% in the previous poll.

Given the survey's margin of error of +/-3, the senator was statistically tied with Vice President Jejomar Binay who got 20%.

Binay jumped two points from the previous poll's 18%.



At third place was Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Mar Roxas with 18%.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago steadied at 3%.

The BusinessWorld-commissioned survey was done using face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide.

Speaking to dzMM, political analyst Prof. Edmund Tayao attributed the rise in Duterte's popularity to the 71-year-old mayor's performance in the March 20 #PiliPinas Debates compared to that of Poe, the ertswhile frontrunner.

"Hindi lang naman iyung mensahe ang napapansin ng mga nanonood kundi pati na rin iyung composure at personalidad ng kandidato... Si Senator Grace, halimbawa, kahit malaman ang sinasabi at alam nating preparado, e parang napikon at kumbaga, hindi na nga siya sumusunod sa rules," Tayao said.

"Siguro isa ito doon sa pinagkumparahan ng mga nanonood at nakita si Mayor Duterte na cool na cool. Mas alam niya ang ginagawa at sinasabi niya."

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) professor added that Duterte's memorable one liners during the face-off may have also appealed to voters.



MOBILE SURVEY

The popularity figures of the candidates in the face-to-face polls differed slightly from the Bilang Pilipino-SWS Mobile Survey conducted last March 30.

Duterte's rating was down four points if compared to the 31% he got in the last mobile survey.

Poe, meanwhile, was the frontrunner with a preference rating of 34 %.

in the mobile poll, Binay placed third with 20% while Roxas followed him with 17 %.

Roxas saw his number decrease by 1 percent from 19 percent in early March.

On the other hand, Santiago was flat at 3 percent.

Aside from the second presidential debate, the poll was conducted also after the Supreme Court's ruled in favor Poe's presidential bid.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Binay major loser in presidential debate: analysts

Vice President Jejomar Binay appears to be the biggest loser in the second round of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) debate, analysts claim Monday.

This, after Binay, who had been misinformed by sponsor network TV 5 about being allowed to bring notes to the debate, caused a one-hour delay in the televised program.

Julio Teehankee of De La Salle University College of Liberal Arts (DLSU CLA) said Binay emerged as this round's major loser after the delay controversy “shattered his narrative that he is the most experienced among all of them.”

Teehankee, who likened the exchange to a “political reality TV" said the debate also “shattered [Binay's] narrative that he is the most experienced among all of them.”


During the debate proper, Binay failed to deflect accusations thrown at him by rivals, said Edna Co of the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG).

Co observed that Binay once again argued on the legality of these allegations, banking on the fact that no material cases have been filed against him.

“In the end, by people’s perception, the way that he defended himself, or not quite effectively defended himself, is that people still hang on to the idea that there is a reason for suspicion,” she said, adding that the whole spirit of debate is handling the issues and rising above it—hence the losing mark.

Both analysts agree that this will adversely affect Binay's survey ratings.

WHO WON DEBATE? 

Teehankee noted that among the four candidates, Poe was the only one who was an actual debater. Although she lost her cool when she was hit with the issue of citizenship, Teehankee urged people to “cut her some slack” as she had been enduring this allegation for quite some time now.

Co meanwhile described Poe as a “modern Filipino Gabriela,” both with her decorum and debate performance.

“She showed how vigorously she was arguing, she’s showing the character of a strong, modern Filipina, putting up the issues, and confronting three male competitors,” she said on Mornings @ ANC.

Her inexperience, Teenhangkee and Co said, could well be interpreted as a weakness and strength. On one hand, she is a candidate, who like Duterte, is an outsider—not from the administration, not from the opposition—and she has been doing well in the surveys because of this. On the other hand, her answer to Duterte’s question on the coast guards also reflected her lack of political understanding and bureaucracy.

“That reveals a weakness on her part in terms of her broad policy understanding, especially foreign policy and national security. My first response would have been I will convene, I will call for the National Security Council and ask for an immediate briefing on the matter. And then the second would be to contact our key allies, and third would even be to invoke the mutual defense treaty,” Teehankee said.


For Co, meanwhile, Roxas was the sole the winner this round, considering the degree of allegations thrown at him and the defense was able to carry. She noted that he was not only defending his credentials but also the shortcomings of the current administration.

“In last night’s debate, Secretary Mar succeeded in putting the blocks together—which means he was able to see and make the public understand there were failures of the administration but there are successes; there are criticisms against the administration, but he also tried to be the good knight, the good person of the administration by being an insider so he was able to figures and the facts. And I think sounded very convincing,” she said.

Teehankee noted that Roxas' usual weakness was his failure to connect emotionally. He however lauded Roxas' ability to “concretize his vision of decency, rule of law, a rule-based society, a society where there’s equality in terms of government, of government service.”

DUTERTE'S GAIN

Duterte’s significant improvement in this debate, according to the professors, was his effort to soften his image.

Teehankee likened him to a choir boy who was both behave and naughty, and was “pilyo” and “alaskador.” He fired many controversial issues to the other candidates, but his efforts to be charming were more evident in the outtakes where he was seen mixing well with the other candidates, but Teehankee pointed out that his mention of violence could always turn off the independent voters he’s been trying to lure.

“Because his core supporters are essentially attracted to him because of this tough guy, anti-crime macho image, but is not getting any traction beyond Mindanao, beyond his core demographics, he need to attract the independent voter, those who are not convinced that he will be a good president. But I don’t think, despite the fact that he was behave last night, the very fact that he mentioned killing again—‘you cannot be president unless you are willing to die or to kill’—again brings out the red flags in the mind of the independent voters," Teehankee said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

De Lima: I am here, I am ready

MANILA - Former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima on Wednesday said she is now ready to take on the tasks of a senator.

De Lima, accompanied by some members of her family, arrived at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Intramuros, Manila to file her certificate of candidacy. She is part of the senatorial slate of the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

De Lima said she would like to continue her advocacies when she was chair of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) under the Arroyo administration and when she was Department of Justice secretary under President Benigno Aquino III.

“Wala na pong urungan, tuloy na tuloy na po ako sa aking paglalakbay,” she said. “I am here and I am ready.”

De Lima said as senator, she would fight for the rule of law, fight corruption, and champion human rights. She said she would also like to simplify the justice system in the country.

“Panahon na para simplehan natin ang sistema ng pag-iimbestiga at pag-uusig ng mga tiwali, yung mga may kasalanan sa batas,” she said.

“Panahon na rin na meron tayong panibagong opensiba laban sa korupsyon sa pamamagitan ng pagpaptibay ng mga sistema ng proseso para di na po makapagtago at makapaggamit ng mga nakaw na yaman. At tungkol sa human rights, ipaglalaban natin ang mga karapatan ng mga bulnerableng mga sektor ng society.”

The justice secretary ranked 7th in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

In the Pulse Asia survey, she was also included in the list of probable winners, landing in the 9th to 14th places.

De Lima has been admired by some for her role in filing corruption charges against powerful individuals under President Benigno Aquino III’s “Daang Matuwid” program, but this has also earned her enemies who believe the administration is practicing selective justice.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Old, new names in 'Team Daang Matuwid'

MANILA - A mix of old and new names are in "Team Daang Matuwid," the administration's 12-man senatorial slate for the 2016 elections.

The Liberal Party (LP) announced the 12-person senatorial slate at the LP headquarters in Balay, Cubao, Quezon City Monday.

The slate is composed of three women and 9 men who are veteran senators/former senators, former Cabinet members, Aquino appointees, and sectoral representatives.

The 12 are:

1. Senate President Franklin Drilon
2. Senator Ralph Recto
3. Senator Teofisto Guingona III
4. Former senator and former food security czar Francis Pangilinan
5. Former senator and former Yolanda rehabilitation chief Panfilo Lacson
6. Outgoing Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

7. Former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla
8. Former TESDA Director General Secretary Joel Villanueva
9. Outgoing TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid
10. PhilHealth Director and former Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros
11. COOP NATCCO Party List Representative Cresente Paez
12. DILG Assistant Secretary for Muslim Affairs and Special Concerns and former Maguindanao officer-in-charge Nariman Ina Ambolodto

Lacson was absent at the LP event but he already filed his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections main office on Monday.

Drilon, dubbed the "Big Man sa Senado," introduced his fellow candidates of the coalition during the event. He drew laughs after he described De Lima as the "woman with balls," and said Lapid is more handsome than his father, action star and incumbent Sen. Lito Lapid.

Of all the candidates, only Paez's and Ambolodto's names come as a surprise. Drilon described Paez as a dynamic civil society leader who is passionate about fighting for marginalized sectors.

On the other hand, Ambolodto is described as a "bakwit" or internally displaced person from Kabuntalan who had to flee to the riverbanks of Cotabato City.

She attended Notre Dame High School for Girls and Notre Dame University where she received a degree in banking and finance. She also received a Master of Arts at the University of the Philippines Institute of Islamic Studies.

House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, who was named general campaign manager of Team Daang Matuwid, said it is his hope that the 12-man slate will sweep the elections next year. Congressmen Miro Quimbo (Marikina) and Barry Gutierrez (Akbayan) were named spokespersons of the campaign.

In an interview before the event, Ambolodto, a surprise senatorial candidate and a newbie in national elections, said she will push for women's rights, continue the peace process in Mindanao and improve lives of the poor.

For her part, De Lima said her agenda is to focus on human rights, electoral reform and equal justice for all.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'PNoy had no idea about sexy dancers at LP event'

MANILA -- Malacanang on Saturday said President Benigno Aquino III had no idea about the controversial performance involving sexy dancers during a Liberal Party (LP) event in Laguna last Thursday.

In a radio interview, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said: "Again, can I be allowed to emphasize that that particular event-hindi 'yung event, 'yung performance--the President had nothing to do with it. The President had no idea that it was happening. He did not condone it."

"So, at this point, siguro po importanteng klaruhin po natin 'yon. Hindi po… The President will never condone, nor will he give approval, to any act that would denigrate our women, that would debase them or would have...would contribute to such an indignity," she said.

"You know, I think there are many ways to entertain. I think certain places, certain times... But, as I said yesterday, you know women are not objects that you can surprise people with, that you can give away at birthday parties. I think it's been fairly clear to us where the President stands on this particular issue. I think in the past five years that the President has been in office, I think you've...his record will bear it out. His respect for women ay talagang mataas at alam mong mataas ang respeto ng Pangulo sa kakayahan ng mga kababaihan. You know, I can say that personally. I have worked for the President for the past five years and he has not given any reason for people to think otherwise na he condones acts like that," Valte added.

According to Valte, Aquino has been informed of the incident. She, however, does not know how the President reacted.

"Nakarating na po 'yan sa ating Pangulo. Unfortunately, I wasn't there. I'm not quite sure if he has seen the video, but I'm quite sure that it has been, he has been updated on the situation. Unfortunately, hindi ko nakita talaga 'yung reaksyon ng ating Pangulo."

Valte added that it is better to wait for what the Liberal Party (LP) will do regarding the issue.

"Nagpatawag ho 'yung mga nakatataas na opisyal ng LP para doon sa imbestigasyon-'yung mga, sabihin na po nating, mga 'women stalwarts' ng LP ay nagpatawag na po ng imbestigasyon. Alam ko po si Senator Frank Drilon mayroon na rin po siyang naging statement as well as Speaker Sonny Belmonte. Siyempre, kasama ho diyan si dating Secretary Mar Roxas. So tingnan na lang po natin 'yung kanilang magiging aksyon," she said.


The ruling party, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, and Laguna 4th District Rep. Benjie Agarao, received flak for the "raunchy" dance performance during LP's oath-taking ceremony and Agarao's birthday party.

For Valte, it is better to wait for the results of the investigation to determine whether the issue will affect Tolentino's senatorial bid in 2016.

"I will not be in a position to answer for Chairman Tolentino, lalo mga-hindi naman po sa personal, pero siya po 'yung pinararatangan. So siguro po mas magandang siya po 'yung makasagot 'nung mga bagong sinasabing… 'Yung pagko-connect sa kanya ng grupong 'yan," she said.

"Iwanan na lang rin po natin 'yan siguro doon sa mga political analyst, but titingnan po natin, let's see. It's fairly new and, so far, hindi pa naman po tapos 'yung imbestigasyon. Tingnan po natin 'yung magiging dulo nitong usapang ito," she added.

LP vice-chairman and Senate President Franklin Drilon has also expressed his view on the issue, condemning the incident as unacceptable.

LP standard bearer Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, who was also in Laguna on Thursday, said he did not see a raunchy dance number performed during the LP event. He also said he has banned all such gimmicks deemed degrading to women in his campaign.

Other members of the ruling party have, likewise, expressed their views on the issue.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sen. Guingona speaks up about NPA attack vs mom

MANILA - Sen. Teofisto "TG" Guingona III on Monday said his mother, Gingoog City Mayor Ruth de Lara Guingona, is now in stable condition after being attacked by New People's Army rebels over the weekend.


Speaking to ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda, Guingona said his mother, who is 78 years old, will undergo surgery today to remove shrapnel from her body. Mrs. Guingona fractured her right arm and calf, and was also wounded on the pelvis in the attack.

"She is stable now. She is still in pain because she has shrapnel in the body. She also sustained wounds on her foot and hand. She still has to undergo operations to remove the shrapnel and restore the broken bones," he said in an interview.

The senator again condemned the incident, which claimed the lives of 2 people. The mayor's driver, Bartolome Velasco, and his brother, Nelson Velasco, who also served as Guingona’s bodyguard, died in the incident.

The senator said his mother's driver died after using his own body to shield the mayor in the attack.

"Yung namatay na driver na nag-shield sa kanya tsaka yung aide. Magkapatid pa naman sila. We are grieving for their families and we condemn, we really condemn this incident that happened. Hindi dapat nangyari ito," he said.

Guingona is the wife of former Vice-President Teofisto Guingona Jr. and the mother of Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III.

The mayor and her party were on their way back to Gingoog City after attending a fiesta celebration and pageant at Brgy. Alagatan when their vehicles were stopped by armed men at Sitio Dumayokod, Barangay Binakalan, Gingoog, Misamis Oriental Saturday night.

The mayor’s convoy was showered with bullets from the back and side by the armed men. A firefight ensued between the armed men and Guingona’s six police escorts, which lasted for about 10 minutes.

Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-New Democratic Front in Central Mindanao confirmed that their members in Misamis Oriental were involved in the firefight. The group apologized for the incident but said it was Guingona's group that fired first.

Sen. Guingona earlier blasted the NPA for firing "upon an elderly and innocent woman who is already bowing out of politics."

“They alleged that they fired upon my mother because she breached a policy of bringing arms in their checkpoint. The persons that were carrying the arms are members of the PNP,” the senator said.

He said: "We would like to remind everyone in this country that there is only one government of the Republic of the Philippines. There is only one President who is in-charge in executing the laws of this land. That is President Noynoy Aquino. He is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. And most importantly, he is the leader of this nation. No one else has the right to usurp the laws of this country."



Time to restart peace talks

During the interview, Guingona said the incident highlights the need to revive peace talks with the communist rebel group. He noted that there have been many incidents of NPA attacks including one at the Del Monte plantation in Bukidnon that left 1 dead.

"Without peace talks, these incidents will escalate and we know that if there is a war, no one will win. Both sides will have victims. Both sides will have casualties. When there is war, the worst victims are the innocent civilians and the women and children. There should be lasting peace through sincere peace talks," he said.

Guingona pointed out the success of the ongoing peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which, he said, has led to a decrease in tensions in Mindanao.

He said the collapse of peace negotiations "leaves no alternative but to take up arms, which should not be."

Casiño condemns attack

Meanwhile, leftist senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño also criticized the NPA attack and urged the communist group to launch an investigation.

"I strongly criticize the New People’s Army’s military action on Mayor Ruthie Guingona’s convoy that resulted in the death and injury of civilians. What happened is wrong and unacceptable. Civilians, especially women and the elderly, should be spared from such actions," he said in a statement.

He added: "Although the NPA has admitted its mistake, we expect them to make a thorough investigation, hold those responsible to account, take remedial actions and make amends to the victims’ families. This is a matter that can also be taken up with the NDFP-GRP Joint Monitoring Committee on the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law."

"My prayers go out to Mayor Guingona and for her speedy recovery. Likewise, I condole and offer my prayers to the families of her two companions who were killed."

Casiño, the lone senatorial candidate of the Makabayan Coalition, has frequently denied any link to the NPA. He earlier told ANC’s Headstar that asking the communist rebels to give up the armed struggle will not work since they won’t listen anyway.

"Para sa akin, that's tantamount to asking them to surrender and I think that has been done mula pa nung panahon ni Marcos. E hindi naman magsu-surrender. The more constructive approach is the peace process,” he said.

Casiño also said that while he has never been part of the communist underground, he knows that there are very legitimate grievances behind the rebels’ decision to arm themselves. He said he does not support the NPA’s drive to collect funds from candidates who want to campaign in rebel-controlled areas.

“Definitely these are illegal. Labag yan sa ating mga batas. I myself, I do not support that practice. On the other hand, it is an assertion of political authority by the [National Democratic Front] in their controlled areas,” he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Erap draws first blood vs Lim

MANILA, Philippines - Former president Joseph Estrada was the first to draw blood in his mayoral bid against Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim in what many have dubbed the Battle of Manila.

There was no shortage in movie and television celebrities at the proclamation rally of Estrada and Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno in Manila Sunday night. Estrada is running for mayor, while Moreno is seeking re-election.

The two are former actors.

With the host of celebrities who went up on stage, even senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance joined in the dance performances.

Vice-President Jejomar Binay was also there to endorse the candidates and participate in the festivities.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was also present as well as his half-brother, UNA candidate JV Ejercito, to endorse their father's candidacy.

Aside from declaring his bid to run as vice-mayor again, Moreno also took a swipe at his erstwhile partner at city hall. He said Estrada would soundly beat Lim who has been dubbed the "Dirty Harry" of Manila for his no-nonsense approach to crime.

"Ano ba napala natin sa nakaraang 21 years? Wala. Nganga...Bumangon sa norte si Asiong Salonga. Hindi makatiis kay Dirty Harry. Gugulpihin niya ito. Partida pa, bumunot pa siya ng baril. Puro takot takot, manduduro naman. Iyakin pa," he said.

During the proclamation rally, Estrada laid down his plans for Manila. Among these are peace and order, better business opportunities, stronger industries and more jobs.

The former president also did not let the evening pass without hitting his rival. He said Lim was too quick to call him a plunderer and an ex-convict when the mayor actually asked for his endorsement in a previous senatorial election.

Estrada was elected president in 1998 but was deposed in 2001, halfway through his six-year term.

Following a marathon trial, he was convicted in 2007 of corruption for plunder and taking kickbacks worth tens of millions of dollars while president. He was however quickly pardoned by his successor Gloria Arroyo.

Estrada consistently maintained that his ousting was a conspiracy involving the influential Catholic church and the elite who feared his populist ideas.

He ran again for the presidency in 2010, coming in second behind Benigno Aquino in a field of 10 candidates -- proving that he remains among the country's most popular politicians despite his conviction. With Agence France-Presse

source: abs-cbnnews.com