#HALALAN2022: COMELEC ALL SET FOR FIRST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Pilipinas Debates 2022 will kick off featuring the presidential candidates on Saturday, March 19, in Pasay City.

More than 30 police and traffic personnel are expected to be deployed to secure the venue at Sofitel Hotel Tent and monitor vehicular traffic.

The number of people who can enter the venue will be limited, and only 5 staff members per presidential aspirant will be allowed to let in and serve as audience.

There are 10 lecterns onstage corresponding to the number of candidates running for the highest elective post in the country.

Candidates will draw lots to determine the first speaker, while the succeeding speakers will be arranged alphabetically.

Notes will not be allowed onstage.

The Comelec will also hold a media walkthrough at the venue at 2 p.m.

All presidential bets have confirmed attendance, except for former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Confirmed to participate are Ernesto Abella, Leody de Guzman, Isko Moreno Domagoso, Norberto Gonzales, Panfilo Lacson, Manny Pacquiao, Faisal Mangondato, Jose Montemayor Jr., and Leni Robredo.

The PiliPinas Debates 2022 will be aired to all local channels and it will be streamed simultaneously on Comelec’s social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

ALLEGED BREACH IN SMARTMATIC OPERATIONS NOT LINKED TO 2022 ELECTIONS

MANILA—The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) on Saturday said the data supposedly compromised because of an alleged breach into tech firm Smartmatic was largely unrelated to the 2022 elections.

Dr. Arwin Serrano, PPCRV director for Voter Education, told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo that, based on information collated since the alleged breach happened in January, the compromised data was from past elections.

"’Yung mga nakuha namang impormasyon mga dati na itong kinakalap na impormasyon noong 2016, tapos ’yung nakuha pa ng hacking team na ito ay puro personal profiles at saka ilang mga personal engagements ng Smartmatic with Comelec noong 2016," Serrano said.

"So walang kinalaman ito dito sa ating darating na 2022 elections."

But Serrano said the alleged breach should still be investigated because similar incidents have also happened in past elections.

"Mabuti na din na imbestigahan ’yung particular employee na ’yun kasi lumabas na din ’yung mga ganyang reports noon, na merong dating Smartmatic employees noong di na sila nagtra-trabaho sa kumpanyang ’yun, naglalabas sila ng mga important items na nakalap nila, either sa gadget nila or sa kanilang physical files," he said.

PACQUIAO ADMITS FUNDING CHALLENGES

MANILA — Sen. Manny Pacquiao admitted encountering some problems when it comes to funding his presidential bid.

“There’s problem because we’re not relying on big business,” Pacquiao said in an interview aired over ABS-CBN on Thursday.

Pacquiao did not elaborate on the funding challenges he is facing.

The boxing icon turned politician said the reason behind such problems is that he is being very careful in choosing campaign donors.

“I don’t want to compromise my commitment to the people,” he said.

Pacquiao is running on an anti-corruption platform and vowed to punish corrupt government officials if he becomes president in May.

DUTERTE PRODDED TO SPEED UP WAGE HIKE

MANILA — President Duterte has been asked to order the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPB) to act swiftly on a petition seeking to increase the minimum salary of workers amid the soaring prices of basic commodities.

In a letter to Duterte dated March 17, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines sought the President’s help to instruct the RTWPB to immediately hear and approve the wage hike petition that the TUCP filed in Metro Manila.

The five million minimum wage workers are fast becoming the new poor, according to TUCP president Raymond Democrito Mendoza.

“It has been years since the last wage increase, and as prices of basic goods continue to spike, minimum wage earners will no longer be able to cope,” Mendoza said.

“The lack of a just wage, enough to support the daily needs of a Filipino family, is a social powder keg waiting to explode,” he added.

“Workers cannot wait when Congress resumes to tackle our proposed wage measures,” Mendoza said.

He noted that the 18th Congress will only have a few weeks of session after the May 9 elections until it adjourns in the first week of June.

There will not be enough time for Congress to provide urgent relief for minimum wage earners through legislation, according to Mendoza.

“This is the reason why we are asking the President to order the RTPWBs to move fast and approve our wage hike petition,” he said.

BIG-TIME OIL PRICE ROLLBACK PROJECTED NEXT WEEK

MANILA—Motorists can finally breathe a sigh of relief as a big-time rollback in oil prices is projected next week.

Industry estimates on Saturday showed that oil companies could lower rate of diesel by P11 to P11.70 per liter, gasoline by P6 to P.20 per liter, and kerosene by P8.70 to P8.80 per liter.

This is the first oil price rollback this year, after 11 consecutive hikes.

In a TeleRadyo interview, Assistant Director Rodela Romero of the Department of Energy’s Oil Industry Management Bureau said that since the start of the year, oil prices have increased by P30.65 per liter for diesel, P20.35 per liter for gasoline, and P24.90 per liter for kerosene.

'LIKE A YOUNG DUTERTE’: MOCHA USON ENDORSES ISKO FOR PRESIDENT IN HALALAN 2022

KAWIT, Cavite - Mocha Party-list nominee Margaux “Mocha” Uson on Friday endorsed Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso for president in the May elections, saying the Manila City Mayor appears to her as a younger version of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Nag-switch to Isko na rin tayo,” said Uson, a former sexy performer who was appointed to government positions after actively campaigning for Duterte as a vlogger in 2016.

“Nakita ko po kay Mayor Isko ang ating batang Pangulong Duterte na talaga namang mainit ang kanyang paninilbihan sa bayan,” she said during Domagoso’s campaign rally here.

Uson's endorsement of Domagoso, also a former actor, came around seven months since the Manila city government called out the "Mocha Uson Blog" for sharing what it called a "fake news" photo that showed a crowded vaccination site inside an Antipolo mall and captioned, "YORME. Sa Maynila ganito kami, sa 2022 buong Pilipinas na rin sana."

The sharing of the photo was made after thousands of unvaccinated people flocked to vaccination sites in Metro Manila earlier that day, resulting in chaos, amid rumors that those who have yet to receive their COVID-19 jabs would not be allowed to go out of their homes during the planned 2-week enhanced community quarantine that time.

'TAKAW!': ISKO CALLS UNNAMED CANDIDATE GREEDY FOR REFUSING TO PAY P200-B IN TAXES

KAWIT, Cavite - Aksyon Demokratiko presidential bet Isko Moreno Domagoso on Friday slammed a candidate who refused to pay taxes.

"Umasa kayo, sisingilin ko yang P200 billion," Domagoso told the crowd at his campaign rally here.

While Domagoso did not name the candidate, his comment comes days after his party said it received confirmation from the Bureau of Internal Revenue that the family of former Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., another presidential contender, has yet to settle an estimated P203 billion in tax liabilities.

"Mabigat sa loob mo na magbayad ng buwis kasi pinaghirapan mo yun. Pero, sinusunod mo yung alituntunin ng bansa… Ito hindi. Minana na lang, ayaw pa bawasan? Takaw!" he said.

In previous sorties, Domagoso would drop hints either about a certain candidate who refuses to attend presidential debates or families who have been in power for too long.

The P200 billion in unpaid taxes caught him by surprise, the Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer said.

"Hindi ko na nga tinatanong kung ninakaw yun o kung saan kinuha yun," he said.

"Wala na akong pakialam doon. Pero yung tao, naghahanapbuhay, mabigat man sa loob niya, nagbabayad ng buwis. Pero yung nagmamana, itinatago pa, ayaw pa bawasan," he said.

"O sige, 'yan ba uri ng lider na gusto ninyo?" he quipped.

The P200 billion can be used to provide subsidy for fuel, food and fertilizer, among other commodities needed nowadays when oil prices are skyrocketing, Domagoso said.

He, again, did not name the candidate, although the "unity" theme has been carried by the camp of Marcos, who is running with vice presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

ISKO REVEALS FUNDS STATUS AT THIS STAGE OF #HALALAN2022 CAMPAIGN

KAWIT, Cavite—Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Friday said his camp continues to "sustain a decent campaign" despite observations that monetary donations are hard to come by at this point in the campaign.

Aksyon Demokratiko's campaign kitty is "just enough" at this point, Domagoso told reporters when asked about the status of his war chest.

"Sapat lang kasi we manage our funds," he said.

"When we say decent hindi magarbo, hindi din tukod (it's not luxurious, but it's also not lacking)," he said, referring to town hall meetings, motorcades and other campaign events they have been holding across the country since February 8.

The team's advertisements are adjusted based on the flow of donations, he said.

"Sometimes you see our ads, sometimes you don’t see our ads," he said.

"'Pag mayroon, ratsada. Kapag wala, yung (If we have funds, we go for it. If we have none, we go back to the) normal, the tedious and retail campaign."

While having more television, radio and online ads may boost his and his allies' respective candidacies, Domagoso said he still prefers going to communities to touch base with actual voters.

"Sa tingin ko (I think), even any other product, word of mouth is the best marketing," he said.

"What we’re doing is retail campaign to reach as many people as possible, different people, different areas, different geography."

In several sorties, Domagoso also urges his supporters to help propel his presidential bid by spending at least a peso by texting a friend or a relative to vote for him.

"We empower our supporters or new believers na tulungan kami na mamuhunan naman sila sa amin (to help us and invest in us)," he added.

VICO FACES CYBER LIBEL RAP

MANILA — Pasig Vice Mayor Iyo Caruncho Bernardo yesterday filed a cyber libel complaint against Mayor Vico Sotto over an incident in January wherein the local chief executive told Bernardo to do his job first before criticizing the city government’s performance.

Bernardo lodged the complaint before the Pasig prosecutor’s office at around 2 p.m.

He told reporters his complaint is based on Sotto’s pronouncement at a flag-raising ceremony last Jan 10.

In the event, Sotto said Bernardo should stop skipping meetings and should respond to his phone calls and text messages.

For Bernardo, Sotto should not have used the activity for politics and to question his work as the city’s vice mayor.

“Ang flag ceremony ginagamit ito para pasalamatan ang mga empleyado (The flag ceremony, it’s used to thank employees),” Bernardo said in an interview clip uploaded on Pasig News Today.

Bernardo’s lawyer, Ramon Gerald Hernandez, declined to give journalists copies of their complaint against Sotto.

Sotto has yet to respond to the case filed by Bernardo, who is his opponent for mayor in the May elections.

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8 GUARDS CHARGED OVER MISSING SABUNGEROS

MANILA — The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed charges against eight security personnel of the Manila Arena implicated in the alleged disappearance of six cockfight players on Jan. 13.

CIDG agents, with their lone witness, filed their complaint before the Department of Justice in Manila yesterday afternoon.

Col. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson for the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the complaints that were filed are for kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

The cases are in connection with the alleged kidnapping of siblings Marlon and James Baccay, John Claude Inonog, Mark Joseph Velasco, Rondel Cristorum and Rowel Gomez, all from Bulacan.

The CIDG has yet to name the respondents in the case. It earlier summoned security guards Mark Carlo Zabala, Rogelio Borican, Bergelio Bayog, Joey Pirrira and Arnel Arturo, as well as Manila Arena administrator Cesar Sulit, to shed light on the missing cockfight enthusiasts.

The witness claimed he saw the security guards forcing the victims into a van, which was then spotted leaving the Manila Arena together with other vehicles.

ILOILO CITY MAYOR TRENAS: 4-DAY WORK WEEK UP TO LOCAL BUSINESSES TO DECIDE

MANILA—It will be up to Iloilo City's private business owners to implement a four-day work week, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas.

Treñas told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo that his decision to shift to a four-day work week beginning March 28 covered only city hall's roughly 3,000 employees.

Under the scheme, city hall staff will work from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Monday to Thursday.

Treñas said measures are in place to make it easier for employees to go to work amid rising fuel costs, such as providing buses and modern PUVs that go to City Hall.

But the mayor sees the four-day work week lasting only as long as fuel prices remain elevated amid the Russo-Ukrainian War.

"Unless, of course, the employees and the stakeholders feel that it's better if it's going to be this way," Treñas said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

LIZA SOBERANO, NADINE LUSTRE TOGETHER FOR COLLABORATION ON MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY

MANILA — A month after they were spotted together “bonding,” showbiz contemporaries Liza Soberano and Nadine Lustre posed together for a photo anew this time for a work collaboration.

The two are are seen side by side in a photo released by Podcast Network Asia on Friday, announcing Lustre’s guesting in Soberano’s mental health podcast “An Open Mind.”

The episode, which will be available on Spotify on Sunday, will tackle Lustre’s recent work, residing in Siargao, and how she has learned to cope with her mental struggles.

Lustre has been open about her past bouts with anxiety and depression.

While Lustre, 28, and Soberano, 24, have not once co-starred in a major acting project, they have had numerous interactions over the years, as co-performers on “ASAP Natin ‘To” and notably, as the singers of the 2015 ABS-CBN Christmas station ID.

More recently, in October 2015, the two collaborated on the mental health platform Mind You, along with actress Yassi Pressman, to help make access to therapists and psychiatrists easier to those who many need them.

Under Mind You, Soberano launched “An Open Mind,” which has been featuring the stories of fellow celebrities when it comes to mental health.

ACTOR HELD FOR ASSAULTING GIRLFRIEND

MANILA — Police arrested actor Keith Thompson after he allegedly physically assaulted his girlfriend in a hotel in Tagaytay City, Cavite yesterday.

Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, the chief publicist of the Philippine National Police, confirmed Thompson was placed under arrest.

“We do not condone any act of violence, especially against women,” Alba said in a statement.

Thompson underwent inquest proceedings for violating Republic Act 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, before the Tagaytay prosecutor’s office at around 5 p.m.

The actor, a resident of Angeles City in Pampanga, is being detained at the Tagaytay police station, according to Calabarzon police director Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra.

Yarra said police acted on an emergency call on 911 about a commotion at the hotel yesterday morning.

Police went to the hotel and rescued Thompson’s girlfriend and took the actor into custody. ABS-CBN identified her as actor Ana Jalandoni.

“After the successful rescue operation, the victim was immediately rushed to the hospital for medical treatment,” Yarra said in a statement.

Militant women’s group Gabriela said it supports the conduct of a full investigation of the incident.

“Nothing justifies the acts of violence inflicted on women by their partners,” the group said in a statement.

SPORTS

MERALCO ELIMINATES SAN MIGUEL, 100-85 (PBA QUARTERFINALS) MARCH 18

No. 4 Meralco Bolts eliminates no. 5 San Miguel Beermen, 100-85 in the quarterfinals of the 2021-2022 PBA Governors' Cup on Friday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Tony Bishop led the Bolts with a huge double-double of 32 points on 12-of-24 shooting including four 3-pointers along with 16 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks in 44 minutes of play. Chris Newsome with another solid game of 22 points (6/14 FG, 9/10 FT), 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and a block.

Meralco advances to the best-of-5 semifinals and now awaits the winner of Magnolia vs. Phoenix quarterfinals matchup where the Hotshots hold a twice-to-beat advantage.

The Scores:

MERALCO 100 – Bishop 32, Newsome 22, Hugnatan 9, Banchero 9, Almazan 8, Maliksi 6, Quinto 4, Black 4, Hodge 4, Baclao 2, Jose 0, Caram 0.

SAN MIGUEL 85 – Muhammad 24, Romeo 17, Fajardo 12, Perez 12, Ross 6, Lasiter 5, Brondial 5, Manuel 4, Tautuaa 0, Cruz 0.

Quarters: 26-26, 48-40, 79-61, 100-85.

MAGNOLIA ELIMINATES PHOENIX, 127-88 (PBA QUARTERFINALS) MARCH 18

Top seed Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots eliminates no.8 Phoenix Super LPG, 127-88 in the quarterfinals of the 2021-2022 PBA Governors' Cup on Friday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Eight Magnolia players finished in double figures with Paul Lee leading the way with 25 points on 7-of-10 shooting including five 3-pointers along with 6 rebounds and 2 assists in 25 minutes of play. Mark Barroca with a solid game of 18 points, 7 assists, 4 steals and 3 rebounds while import Mike Harris finished with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks.

Magnolia advances to the best-of-5 semifinals vs. Meralco Bolts.

The Scores:

MAGNOLIA 127 – Lee 25, Barroca 18, Harris 15, Jalalon 15, Abueva 12, Sangalang 11, Wong 11, Dela Rosa 10, Dionisio 5, Ahanmisi 3, Reavis 2, Brill 0, Corpuz 0, Escoto 0.

PHOENIX 88 – Maxwell 32, Perkins 11, Garcia 10, Wright 8, Jazul 7, Melecio 7, Robles 6, Pascual 4, Demusis 3, Porter 0, Manganti 0, Camacho 0, Rios 0.

Quarters: 34-20, 66-46, 102-67, 127-88.

NBA SCORES MAR 17

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

Pistons19-51     37        36        33        28        134

Magic18-53       39        23        32        26        120

AMWAY CENTER, ORLANDO, FL

SCORING LEADERS

S. Bey DET

51 PTS 9 REB 4 AST

F. Wagner ORL

26 PTS 5 REB 2 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 52.33

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are to some extent a gift. Good Character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece...by thought, choice, courage, and determination. - John Luther