News Update Aquino may not control Congress

MANILA - SENATOR Benigno Aquino, soon to be named Philippine president, will have to negotiate alliances to govern effectively because his Liberal Party will not have a majority in either house of Congress, lawmakers said on Sunday.

Mr Aquino has a decisive lead in the presidential election, based on unofficial tallies of Monday's vote, but a hostile House of Representatives and Senate could thwart his policy agenda. olitical infighting could also distract him from trying to reduce a fiscal deficit that is expected to be around 300 billion pesos (S$9.2 billion) this year, as well as other efforts to reinvigorate the economy.

Mr Aquino is likely to see Liberal Party candidates battling outgoing president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the job of Speaker of the House of Representatives and beaten presidential candidate Manny Villar for the Senate presidency. 'If the opposition controls both houses, it will be difficult for Aquino to push his legislative agenda,'re-elected Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said in a radio interview.

Defensor Santiago ran on the ticket of Nacionalista Party and said Mr Villar, the party's presidential candidate, would stand for the Senate presidency because he is still a Senator. 'We have the numbers to get Senator Villar back as Senate President and we have allies in other parties,' said Defensor Santiago.

With winners declared in 9 of the 12 Senate seats that were open at Monday's vote, analysts estimate Mr Aquino, who will relinquish his Senate seat, can muster support of about 10 Senators in the 24-member chamber.

President Arroyo won a lower house seat in Monday's election, and is widely expected to run for the position of Speaker, the fourth most senior political position in the country. On paper, Mrs Arroyo has a solid base with her Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition expected to win close to 110 of the 229 electorate seats. The Liberal Party has around 45 seats, based on election commission counting. There are also 57 seats for party-list groups, which cover sectors such as women, labour, and farmers, in the lower house. A total of 144 seats is needed for a majority. -- REUTERS

News Update Villar eyes zero corruption under his administration

Under a Manny Villar presidency, all government transactions will be open for public scrutiny, and all public biddings televised.

Villar, the standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party (NP), made the promise when he took the hot seat in GMA News’ special election program “Kandidato" that was aired Wednesday night.

“Dapat televised lahat ng bidding, iimbitahin lahat ng media, lahat ng gustong mag-imbestiga, tumingin ng mga kontrata, open yan. (We will televise all the biddings, invite the media and all those who want to investigate and look at the contracts)," he said.

Facing veteran journalists Howie Severino, Arnold Clavio and Malou Mangahas, Villar, a senator, said his first action as president would be to establish that his administration will not be involved in any corruption.

He said a televised bidding would assure foreign investors that all transactions in the country are aboveboard.

All are invited

“Lahat ng investors iimbitahin, walang hihingi sa inyo at open ang television come bidding para talagang maliwanag na transparent, walang gumagawa ng pera para sa ganun unang 100 days ma-establish kaagad na hindi uubra ang corruption sa ating administrasyon," Villar said.

(We will invite all investors and the television will be open come bidding time so that everything will be transparent in order to establish the first 100 days in office that there will be no corruption in my government.)

Villar himself was accused of committing corrupt practices by his political opponents, the very recent of which was his alleged use of influence to earn billions from an illegal stock deal in 2007. He was also slapped with an ethics complaint in the Senate for allegedly earning from a government road extension project in southern Metro Manila in 2008.

Villar, a self-made billionaire, said he had answered all the allegations against him.

Stop corruption

During the “Kandidato" interview, Villar boasted he is the only presidential candidate who can stop corruption in the government.

“Hindi sapat na sasabihin mong gusto mong itigil ang corruption, ang aking tanong may kakayahan ka ba? May naipakita ka na ba nung nakaraang panahon na kaya mong gawin yan?" he said.

(It is not enough for one to say that he or she can stop corruption. My question is, can you do it? What have you done in the past that makes you think you can curb corruption?)

He also said he would not be involved with his real estate business once he becomes president. He said he will leave his businesses to his children.

“One hundred percent yan, hindi ka na pwedeng hati dyan. Pag ikaw ay naging pangulo, pangulo ka na lang hindi pwede yung may kahati pa (When you become president, you should have 100% concentration on your job)," Villar said.

Villar’s sons Manuel Paolo Aguilar Villar, 34, and Mark Aguilar Villar, 32, are among the seven board directors of Vista Land. Manuel is also treasurer of Vista land. Fine Properties and Adelfa Properties are majority shareholders of Vista Land. - KBK,