Unfazed by recent bombings, Gordon goes to Basilan

(Isabela City, Basilan)—Bagumbayan Party presidential bet Sen. Richard J. Gordon did not let recent bombings in Basilan stop him from going to the island to talk with the people and present his platform.

Gordon was not only the presidential candidate who saved hostages in Basilan, but he was also the only one who brought his campaign to Basilan, where a series of bombings, including an attack on the Cathedral occurred this month.

“Ako lang ang tumatakbong presidente na pumunta dito sa inyo. Hindi ako katulad ng iba na natatakot dahil magulo daw dito. Paano mo maaayos ang peace and order situation dito sa Basilan kung hindi mo pupuntahan,” he said at a town hall meeting held yesterday (April 21) at the Basilan State College.

“The bombings are just isolated incidents. I have been to Basilan several times and it has always been a peaceful town. What is needed is for the government to give attention to the province so that it would develop and its people will be uplifted. We should develop Basilan’s tourism industry and create a Freeport zone here,” he added.

In 2000, Gordon saved a number of hostages from the clutches of the Abu Sayyaf. Some of them attended the town hall meeting and committed to support Gordon’s presidential bid. Christinely Diva and Nova Verallo were not in the event but their relatives were there—sister Leonilyn and father Birang, respectively.

Gordon pointed out that in order for the country to progress, people should shed their regionalistic attitude.

“We should always think as one nation. Dapat isipin natin na Pilipino tayong lahat, hindi yung Kristyano kami, Muslim kayo. Lahat tayo magkakapatid,” the Bagumbayan standard-bearer said.

“We just have to give our Muslim brothers respect, understanding and acceptance. And there should be effective governance,” he added. (30)

Rosary from Lola Remedios

 

During a sortie in Bulacan, Lola Remedios gave Dick Gordon the blue rosary he had when asked to empty his pockets at his guesting on Tonight with Arnold Clavio at QTV.  In return, Gordon gave Lola Remedios his brown rosary given to him by a nun during the height of Mt. Pinatubo explosion in 1991.

Comelec: Don't allow sample ballots, surplus of watchers

Tagbilaran, Bohol--Bagumbayan presidential candidate Sen. Richard Gordon today urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to prohibit the distribution of sample ballots and to limit the number of poll watchers in precincts on election day.

Gordon said the Comelec should not allow the distribution of sample ballots because it could be used to jam the machines, besides being costly and unfriendly to the environment.

"I'm calling on Comelec Chairman (Jose) Melo not to allow sample ballots. I've told them that before in my hearings at the Senate. That's an unnecessary expense. They could use that to jam the machine to delay the elections. Besides, what is complicated about shading a circle?" he said.

"It's environmentally-unfriendly, ostentatious and it's an insane misuse of valuable resources that could go to the poor. And it will definitely be a tool for cheating, for vote-buying. Magbibigay kunwari ng sample ballot pero may butas yun, ipapatong dun sa papel, then the voter would shade," he added.

Gordon explained that sample ballots are unnecessary since people would no longer have to write down the names of the candidates they would vote for. Instead, they will only have to shade the circle beside the name of their chosen candidate.

The Bagumbayan Party standard bearer also asked the Comelec to prohibit multiple poll watchers and limit it to only one per precinct.

"May I also request the Comelec to limit the so-called poll watchers because it can only be used, again, as a form of vote-buying. There should only be one, instead of 7 or 20, watcher, mabilis na eh, wala ng magbabasa. Multiple watchers are paid in the guise of protecting the integrity of the elections," he said.

Gordon, author of the Amended Automated Elections System (AES) Law, said that although the AES solves the problem of wholesale cheating, there are still other forms of cheating, such as vote-buying, which no computerized machine can avert.

"The most ridiculous thing about our country is that we look at elections as improving the economy because corruption money is distributed all over the place--jueteng money, drug money, name it, it's being distributed all over," he said.

"That is why I call on the Comelec, I call on all the commissioners, do not allow sample ballots; do not allow a surplus of poll watchers," he added.