April 11, 2019 | BBC.Com
Indians have begun voting in the first phase of a general election that is being seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tens of millions of Indians across 20 states and union territories will cast their votes in 91 constituencies.
The seven-phase vote to elect a new lower house of parliament will continue until 19 May. Counting day is 23 May.
With 900 million eligible voters across the country, this is the largest election ever seen.
DAVAO CITY—President Duterte’s narcolist did not only include 10 members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan but also some members of Mayor Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP).
Surprised
Among those who expressed surprise to be included in the list was Mayor Leonida Angcap of Midsalip town in Zamboanga del Sur, a member of the HnP under Zamboanga del Sur 1st District Rep. Divina Grace Yu.
But Mayor Duterte said in a statement on Saturday that she would not look at the President’s narcolist as basis for her endorsement of a candidate.
President Duterte has chosen former Interior Secretary Raffy Alunan as the candidate to complete his senatorial line-up for the upcoming May 2019 midterm polls.
This was confirmed as Alunan attended PDP-Laban’s campaign in Biñan, Laguna Saturday. He is PDP-Laban’s seventh guest candidate.
“Malaking karangalan (It’s a huge honor) to be part of the President’s team for May 2019,” he told the crowd.
BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—Some local officials have been hiding from the Otso Diretso senatorial candidates out of fear of reprisals from President Rodrigo Duterte, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said here on Friday.
“I cannot mention them, [but] it’s all over the country,” he said.
Alejano was on the campaign trail here with former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, former Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno and civil society leader Samira Gutoc of the Otso Diretso senatorial team.
Sen. Bam Aquino was represented by his wife, Timi; former Sen. Mar Roxas by his cousin Margarita Fores; and election lawyer Romulo Macalintal by his son-in-law, lawyer Ace Bautista.
MANILA, Philippines — Thieves cannot be lawmakers.
Otso Diretso senatorial candidate Romulo Macalintal clarified on Tuesday that he was not discounting the ability of movie actors to become capable lawmakers, but what he was saying was that those who have stolen from public coffers do not have the right to run for public office.
“Mr. Jinggoy, hindi ko tinatawaran ang kakayahan ng mga artista. Iginagalang ko iyan […] Ang aking sinasabi ay hindi karapat-dapat tumakbo sa Senado o manungkulan sa anumang departmento ng pamahalaan ang isang magnanakaw,” the election lawyer said in a statement.
MANILA, Philippines — The ruling political party of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP–Laban) has appointed its new spokespersons for its national campaign.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, PDP-Laban President Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said that the appointment of Arnold Vegafria and Ronwald Munsayac as spokespersons for the PDP Laban National Campaign came in light of the “increasing need to provide the media and the public with all the needed information in our national campaign for this 2019 midterm elections.”
This means, Pimentel noted, inquiries on all campaign-related activities, media affairs, and public information will be directed to Vegafria and Munsayac.
MANILA, Philippines – Action star-turned politician Lito Lapid said he is not keen on debating on key national issues with senatorial race rivals after opposition senatorial candidates under the Otso Diretso banner earlier challenged fellow candidates to a debate.
“Hindi, hindi naman ako nakikipag-contest sa pagalingan eh. Eh sila naman may galing. ‘Yung galing nila siguro’t alam nila hindi ko alam. Pero may alam din naman akong di nila alam,” Lapid told reporters before the start of his press conference on Wednesday.
(I am not competing with their know-how and expertise. They may know things that I don’t, but I also know things that they have no knowledge of.)
