I heartily applaud SENATOR KIKO PANGILINAN'S early declaration for the Vice Presidency, which is off to a running start with the help of wife and megastar, SHARON CUNETA and her legions of adoring Sharonians. (Ronnie Puno can just run for Barangay Tanod). Of course, Kiko has a long way to go in order to regain the confidence of many in Civil Society who cannot forget his role in the 2004 election canvass as "Mr. Noted" (some of them are sure to show up here making snide remarks). But Sen. Pangilinan's campaign to wield the Damocles Sword of the Vice Presidency is tied to a serious voter registration campaign for youthful and first time voters. 
This recalls a page from out of the history of the US Civil Rights Movement of the 50s and 60s that can only yield fruitful political results. It also happens to be a more statesmanlike strategy than just trotting out the megastar missus. And listen to the above speech given by Kiko at Rock the Vote 2010. This is not your usual mild mannered Kiko "Clark Kent" Pangilinan. Here are glimmerings of Martin Luther Kiko. And check out his campaign on Facebook.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Inciting To Vote: Not Your Mild Mannered Kiko Pangilinan
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2 comments:
I like your new layout. Easy on the eye.
I was witness to the nearly-30-day canvassing in 2004, where Sen. Kiko sat as co-chairman. I was then a legal intern and a legislative staff in Congress.
We all sighed in relief when, finally, after 30 days of politicking and wrangling the canvass was completed seven (!!) weeks after the May elections. If railroading takes seven weeks, one wonders how long a normal process would take.
Contrary to the notion that Kiko refused to allow the opposition to look into a few troubled areas with his "Noted" response is the fact that it was just a few troubled areas that the opposition wanted to look into. TWO-THIRDS of the nationwide had been questioned. If the opposition had their way and every questioned certificate had been looked into, it would have taken YEARS for canvassing to be completed.
Under the 1987 Constitution electoral fraud is handled by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal and not the canvassing board. Sen. Kiko could not go beyond the Constitutional provision even if he wanted to.
The opposition, then composed of Angara, Sotto, Oreta, Pimentel, Escudero, et. al, wanted to violate the Constitution just to meet their objectives. They accused GMA of illegal acts, yet they also wanted to address it using equally illegal maneuvers. Sen. Kiko did what he could within the bounds of the Constitution.
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