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A former rights lawyer has been elected Nauru’s president. The change in leadership follows calls for humanitarian reform in the tiny Pacific nation, which Australia uses as a detention center for displaced people.

Nauru’s Parliament chose Lionel Aingimea as president on Tuesday, three days after elections in the tiny Pacific island nation. 

Aingimea won the presidency 12-6 over rival David Adeang, the Nauru government information office reports.

Continue reading “Nauru Parliament picks lawyer Lionel Aingimea for president” →

April 11, 2019 | Rappler.Com

MANILA, Philippines – With over a month before the May 13 elections, only 4 in 10 Filipino voters have a complete Senate slate, according to the results of the latest Pulse Asia survey released on Thursday, April 11.

Based on the nationwide survey on senatorial preferences held from March 23 to 27, 42% or less than half of registered voters have a complete senatorial slate.

“On the whole, Filipino registered voters are naming a mean of 9 and a median of 10 of their favored senatorial candidates for the May 2019 polls, Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes said in a statement.

Voters can choose 12 senatorial candidates in the midterm polls.

Holmes said that among geographic areas, Mindanao has the most number of registered voters with complete slates of senatorial candidates at 61%.

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SHERIE ANN TORRES | ABS-CBN News

February 19, 2019

MANILA – Administration senatorial candidate Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Tuesday said he will endure the “plastikan” or insincerity during the 90-day campaign period for May’s midterm elections despite his fatigue.

Dela Rosa, a former national police chief venturing into politics for the first time, said he often complained to his wife about the first 2 weeks of the grueling campaign.

“Sortie dito, sortie doon. Selfie dito, selfie doon. Kamay dito, kamay doon. Hello dito, hello doon. Pagdating ng pahinga ko, pagod na pagod na ako,” he told ABS-CBN News.

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Mara Cepeda | Rappler.com

February 14, 2019

CAMARINES SUR, Philippines – When Vice President Leni Robredo raised the hands of the Otso Diretso senatorial bets onstage on Wednesday evening, February 13, it started raining.

But the thousands who gathered at Plaza Quezon in Naga City for the slate’s grand proclamation rally stayed put. The city, after all, is the bailiwick of the Vice President.

Robredo urged her fellow Bicolanos to help her campaign for Otso Diretso, most of whom are lagging behind in preelection surveys.

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By: Faye Orellana – Reporter / @FMOrellanaINQINQUIRER.net / 12:16 PM February 11, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Ahead of the official start of the campaign period for the midterm polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded candidates on Monday to take down all prohibited election materials.

“Comelec reminds candidates to immediately remove all prohibited forms of election propaganda at least 72 hours before the start of the campaign period,” the poll body said in an advisory.

“Otherwise, said candidate or party shall be presumed to have committed the pertinent election offense during said campaign period for national candidates or for local candidates, as the case may be,” it added.

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Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez said on Thursday, February 7, that it will monitor social media spending of candidates for the 2019 national and local elections.

To facilitate the monitoring, Comelec will require the candidates to submit their official website pages in Facebook and other social media accounts.

View the report of Ryan Leagogo of Inquirer.Net below.

By ABS-CBN NEWS

MANILA – Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday denied that he is seeking another term in the Senate to “redeem” himself from the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.

“What do I have to redeem? My case is there, it will be decided according to evidence. Let the people decide. Judge me,” he said.

“I know I have not done anything wrong, I think I will be acquitted.”

Enrile, 94, is among several lawmakers tagged in the diversion of discretionary funds into bogus NGOs linked to businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles. He is still facing trial at the Sandiganbayan.

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Sheila Crisostomo (The Philippine Star) – February 7, 2019 – 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the bombings in Lanao del Norte, the second leg of the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) was successful, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared yesterday. 

James Jimenez, Comelec spokesman, said they are looking at a voter turnout of 75 percent.

“So far, it’s showing up to be very successful elections. Of course, if something happens at the very last minute, that very last minute event is what’s going to define the whole exercise. But with caution in mind, yes it is successful so far,” he said in an interview.

Jimenez said they could not determine if the bombings were election-related, but noted that the timing was “ridiculous” as these happened the day before the plebiscite.

The plebiscite covered the entire province of Lanao del Norte except for Iligan city and 67 barangays in seven towns of North Cotabato. 
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