Black propaganda in Philippine

politics
FROM THE STANDS By Domini M. Torrevillas (The Philippine Star) | Updated May 3, 2016 - 12:00am

Political jousts in this country are eternally exciting, entertaining, somehow also enlightening and, from the point
of view of those who become objects of vicious black propaganda attacks, absolutely infuriating.

Remember the malicious tag of Brenda hurled against a leading presidential candidate a few years ago that
was intended to put her mental faculty in serious doubt? Or the cruel calumny of being gay which was attached
to a former senator?

The current political campaign has not been wanting in this diabolic practice. And while some of the charges
and accusations against some political personalities appear to have credible basis, many others are obviously
nothing but malevolent character assassination. It is, therefore, up to the voters and the public at large to
distinguish those that are truthful and those that are wicked lies.

Among those who became open targets of very serious accusations are Vice President Jejomar Binay for
alleged plunder related to the construction of a building and a school and the purchase of hospital beds and
facilities. Senator Santiago has denounced continuing innuendos about the state of her health, and asserts
that she has successfully licked the lung cancer that she herself admitted, had afflicted her.

Senator Grace Poe is still besieged with insinuations that she is actually the offspring of an illicit relationship
between a former President and a former actress. This, aside from persistent issues about her Filipino
citizenship.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is hard put in parrying charges of hiding enormous wealth in several secret
bank accounts with transactions amounting to P1.2 billion. Earlier, he had to face the fury of an enraged public
offended by his lewd joke that he should have been the first to ravish a pretty Australian missionary who was
sexually brutalized by several inmates in a Davao City jail who then slashed her throat.

Opinion ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

Mar Roxas, with his concededly spotless record of public service was not spared from the malicious insinuation
fired by the Davao Mayor that he is bayot (gay) and that he is weighed down by an indecisive character that
has given rise to his supposed teka, teka attitude even when confronted by critical situations.

Expectedly, it is Senator Bongbong Marcos who is getting the brunt of brickbats among the vice presidential
candidates. But you know when black propaganda gets completely out of hand? Its when a simple,
unassuming, soft-spoken, self-effacing Leni Robredo becomes the target of outrageous claims meant to tarnish
her reputation.

Initially, she was said to have received P500 million from the Liberal Party just to agree to be the partys vice
presidential candidate and running mate of Mar Roxas. After this failed to gain traction, an absurd story
accusing her of buying a luxurious bed with a stratospheric price of P700,000 was peddled! Obviously, this is
intended to besmirch her public image as a simple-living widow who leads a nearly austere existence. There
was even the dastardly attempt to put to ridicule her very act of riding a public bus in going home every
weekend to Naga City after attending to her Congressional duties. The canard being passed off as immaculate
truth is that she or her family owns the public buses that she takes in going home to the province.

Now that she has surged in the ratings, even more accusations are coming out of the woodwork: illegal
donations, patronage politics, and other easily-refutable issues. I suppose that the Filipino saying really holds
true: Ang pinaka-mabungang puno ay ang pinaka madalas binabato.

** *

ON ANOTHER FRONT, surveys or no surveys, the political stalwarts of Pangasinan are convinced that Mar
Roxas will be the flavor of May. That is the conviction of Rep. Gina de Venecia of Pangasinans 4th District.
She believes that Mar Roxas has the support of the silent majority. The surveys do not reflect what I see on
the ground. I know this because I meet them on my daily visits to the public markets in the whole province.

For months now, Manay Gina has been actively campaigning for Mar and Leni Robredo in Pangasinan, which
is the 3rd vote-rich province in the country, with 1,705,260 registered voters.

Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil of the 2nd District also agreed, adding, Mar Roxas is the best among the rest. His
outstanding performance in various agencies, vast experience, track record and brilliance make him the best
option for our country.

This claim was made more evident by the massive showing of Roxas supporters when he arrived in Dagupan
City, for the last presidential debate.

Roxas supporters gave him a yellow-carpet welcome when he arrived in Dagupan City. He was escorted to
the debate venue by hundreds of bikers as thousands of supporters, garbed in Mar-Leni yellow, lined up on
both sides of the street, waving matching yellow flaglets. When Mar reached the venue, an overflowing crowd
of loyal supporters welcomed him with a marching band playing his campaign jingle. Visibly moved, Roxas
came out of his vehicle and greeted his enthusiastic supporters amid a shower of yellow confetti. It was a
campaign moment for Mar!

Some 6,000 of his supporters later convened in two viewing venues to watch the debate.

In addition to Reps. De Venecia and Bataoil, Roxas also enjoys the unwavering support of Rep. Baby Arenas of
the 3rd District, Rep. Marlyn Agabas of the 6th District, Mayor Belen Fernandez of Dagupan City and Mayor
Bobom Perez of Urdaneta City. Dagupan is the number one vote rich city in Pangasinan with 105,183 voters,
Urdaneta, the 3rd vote-rich with, 76,296 voters and San Carlos City under Rep. Arenas, the second vote-rich
city with 96,875 registered voters.

** *

I had the opportunity to listen to Cong. Roberto C. Mascarina talk about the Ating-Koop Party List at the
Nations Leaders Forum sponsored by the Capitol Christian Leadership held at the Faith Baptist Church Social
Hall in Quezon City last week. The first nominee of Ating Koop Party List, Ka Bert, as he is popularly called,
is a true-blooded cooperator after almost 27 years of success of Barangka Credit Cooperation which he
founded with his fellow cooperators from the Universal Textile Mills, Inc. in 1986.

Ka Bert stopped studying at the University of Santos to work at the textile mills to support his family, and
sleeping under a creek near the construction site. His salary could not sustain his family and personal needs.
By Gods grace, he found an answer out of his predicament. He organized a cooperative (otherwise called
credit union), which helped him and his cooperators save and earn money, thus avoiding the wild interest rates
charged by 5-6 creditors. Today his coop has hundreds of members throughout the country, enjoying the
benefits of medical care, loans (which they pay regularly), education for their children, among others.

Lets vote for this party list.

About Capitol Christian Leadership, this was founded by the late journalist Leon O. Ty and Dr. Gregorio J.
Tingson, and currently has former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno as honorary chair and Rev. Jose Lagunsad
Gonzales as chair. Other officers are Bishop Juan S. Pring, Aida P. dela Cruz, Jean M. Puno, Perla Agustin, the
Ildefonso J. Remolona, Atty. David D. Aguila, Gilda U. Delegencia, and Ptr. Leo S. Salibio.

CCL is observing its 48th year of existence, with the theme Building a Godly Nation. Its mantra is,
Righteousness exalts a Nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people (Proverbs 14:34). Every Tuesday, it holds a
forum featuring respected personalities, from government to private individuals. For the May 9 elections, it has
sponsored vice-presidential and local candidates.
Aquino visits INC leader to
lobby for Mar

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By: Christine O. Avendao, DJ Yap

@inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer

12:33 AM May 3rd, 2016

Photo by Joseph Vidal/ Malacaang Photo Bureau

PRESIDENT Aquino on Monday met with Eduardo Manalo, executive minister of Iglesia ni
Cristo (INC), in an apparent last-minute plea for Mar Roxas presidential bid, but the
Liberal Party (LP) candidate struggling in voter preference surveys expressed confidence
he could secure victory even without the backing of the powerful religious group.

In a statement released by Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.,

Mr. Aquino said he sought the meeting at the INC central office in Quezon City with
Manalo, head of the sect known for voting as a bloc during presidential elections.

I thanked him for the support he and his brethren have extended to us. I enumerated
the gains under daang matuwid (straight path), Mr. Aquino said.

Lastly I expressed the hope that these gains will not only be continued but built upon in
the future, he added.

Mr. Aquino has been campaigning intensely for Roxas, whom he said would continue his
governance reforms.

Roxas, in the latest presidential surveys, was statistically tied with Sen. Grace Poe on
second place, trailing runaway front-runner, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Interviewed by reporters, Mr. Aquino said he thanked Manalo for his support to his six-
year administration but also when he was senator.

He also said he shared the vision of what happens after I step down from power, and
made the usual appeals and political appeals.

I have no complaints but to say thanks for all the support, he said.

EDUARDO MANALO PHOTO COURTESY OF INC

And with less than two months to go before he steps down on June 30, Mr. Aquino said
his legacy was the change in the attitude of people, from apathy to one of being more
hopeful.
Asked on his message to the people with May 9 just a week away, he said people had
seen his reforms and it was up to them if they wanted this continued and strengthened
even more.

Lets wait for the peoples judgment, what our bosses want, Mr. Aquino said.

Roxas sought to downplay the meeting between Mr. Aquino and the INC leader, denying
it was a last-minute attempt to get INC leaders to endorse his candidacy.

Speaking to reporters at LPs Balay headquarters in Quezon City, the former interior
secretary said an INC endorsement would be welcome but not crucial to win the
presidency.

An endorsement is freely given. I dont know to whom they will give it. I am operating
[on the notion] that it will just be a plus if it happens, Roxas said.

If theres no endorsement, we cannot coerce them into siding with someone when they
dont want it. Were just steady, he said.

INC endorsed Roxas for the vice presidency against Binay in 2010, but he still lost by
more than 700,000 votes.

Asked if he believed his support base was big enough to win without INCs help, he
replied: I believe so.