The Standard - 2016 February 23 - Tuesday

Page 1

VOL. XXX NO. 13 3 Sections 32 Pages P18 TUESday : FEBRUaRy 23, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

Poe gets praise for views on poverty

A3

RECEIPTS, PLEASE Force Comelec to enable paper audit, court asked

By Rey E. Requejo and Sandy Araneta

A SENATORIAL candidate on Monday asked the Supreme Court to compel the Commission on Elections to activate a paper audit for the votecounting machines that will be used in the May elections, as a new survey showed that 39 percent of Filipinos expect cheating to take place at the polls.

In his petition, former senator Richard Gordon, who is seeking a Senate seat this year, said the Comelec’s decision to scrap the Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail disregarded the required security features set out under the Automated Elections System Law, which he wrote. The seven Comelec commissioners earlier decided to scrap the VVPAT because it could be used

as a tool for vote buying and would also extend the voting period by seven hours. Gordon filed his petition as a new Pulse Asia survey showed that only about half of Filipinos (49 percent) expect the May elections to be clean because the counting of votes is automated. On this question, 36 percent said they were undecided, while 15 percent said automation would not make the elections credible.

On a separate question, a sizable plurality (39 percent) said they expect cheating to take place. Only 29 percent said they believed no cheating would take place, while 32 percent were unsure. Among those expecting cheating to occur, a sizable majority (65 percent) said vote-buying is most likely to happen. This was the predominant view in all geographic areas and socioeconomic classes. Next page

Testing. This file photo shows a Comelec official testing an updated model of the Precinct Count Optical Scan machine at the Marikina High School on Jan. 29 this year. JANSEN ROMERO

Fishermen blast Mar proposal on funding

A3

Bets refuse to break bread after debate By Christine F. Herrera and Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

ILIGAN CITY—On camera, the five presidential candidates were cordial to one another, shook hands, hugged and raised each other’s hand, but off camera, they refused to break bread. Before the debate, they made small talk and shared snacks on camera.

But shortly after the two-hour debate Sunday night, the candidates parted ways and skipped sharing a table for dinner together, debate organizers said. The caterer Sentro 1850 was told to send the food instead to the five separate holding rooms for the presidential bets. All camps gave excuses to skip the dinner.

Senator Grace Poe of Partido Galing at Puso said she had to see her supporters. She had ordered food good for 1,000 supporters from Pepper Lunch at Centrio, the city’s Ayala Mall, organizers said. Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said she was tired, while Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Next page


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Standard - 2016 February 23 - Tuesday by Manila Standard - Issuu