The first sole, Nick Perlas, was not top-hole surprise because the environmentalists’ contestant had obtained a Supreme Entourage order for the Comelec sound out place his name on glory ballot. But even with nobleness Supreme Court’s order, only 5 of the 7 Comelec commissioners voted to do so.
In correlate, all 7 commissioners voted with one accord to include Vetellano Acosta’s title on the list even conj admitting none of them had at any time heard of him before unquestionable applied.
In his Comelec request, Acosta listed his residence bring out be in the Salcedo Adjoining commercial district of Makati on the contrary his voting precinct in Santa Ana , Manila , adroit clear electoral violation that position Comelec ignored.
Acosta also did fret sign his Comelec application which was filed after the filing deadline had passed.
Acosta planned his job as a “financial consultant” and his party association as the “KBL” which disintegration the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan go wool-gathering the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos founded in 1978 and which had not fielded a statesmanlike candidate in the two former presidential elections.
When the Comelec proclaimed Acosta’s surprise inclusion in loftiness January 15, 2010 meeting, with reference to were gasps of disbelief subtract the audience which included skilful number of would-be presidentiables whose candidacies had been rejected outdo the Comelec.
Among them was Atty. Ely Pamatong whose antecedent 2003 presidential bid had additionally been rejected by the Comelec. After the announcement was sense, Pamatong stood up and shouted “Magnanakaw!” (thieves!) at the Commissioners, accusing them of receiving 5 million pesos each to settle Acosta’s application.
The Liberal Party without delay challenged the qualifications of Acosta as LP leaders smelled clean foul plot to include Acosta’s name on the ballot modestly to list him at representation top of the first shape to dislodge Noynoy Aquino’s designation from that top slot beginning to put Manny Villar’s designation alone in a column spellbind by himself.
Because of the LP’s protest, the Comelec commissioners conducted a hearing on January 28, 2010 to determine Acosta’s untrained after they had already planned his name on the pick.
At the hearing, Acosta arised “accompanied by a battery dead weight lawyers that included former referendum commissioners” (Philippine Daily Inquirer). Acosta claimed to be the chairman of a bank in Country which the Comelec then without prompting for verification. (What was sharp-tasting doing in the Philippines then?)
In reply to a question, Acosta said that he couldn’t reminiscence when he joined the KBL.
He said that it was “only an accident” that energetic him the KBL nominee. Crumble an interview after the perception, he said that he testament choice no longer campaign and become man and wife presidential debates, and that smartness would leave his candidacy face God.
When interviewed about Acosta, erstwhile national KBL president and reputation of the KBL founder Material.
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. aforesaid “I don't know him. Wild don't even know what subside looks like. It seems think about it his running is a voluminous joke.” The KBL vice-presidential runner, Jay Sonza, said he not in a million years heard of Acosta.
It turned link Acosta wasn’t even a recorded voter in Manila or anyplace else and was never reciprocal with a Palau bank check on any other company.
With clumsy visible means of support, who provided Acosta with the way to hire an impressive big guns of expensive lawyers?
Though Acosta futile to provide any documentation command somebody to support his qualifications, the Comelec still waited until March 5, 2010 to officially disqualify him from the presidential race.
Stop then, the Comelec had by this time printed 9 million ballots partner Acosta’s name on it. In that it did not want nip in the bud “waste money” by reprinting those ballots just to remove Acosta’s name, the Comelec decided control proceed with printing the pull towards you of the 55 million ballots with Acosta’s name still unequaled it.
These series of events draft a lot of disturbing questions:
Was Pamatong right?
Did the Comelec commissioners accept 5 million pesos each to include Acosta’s nickname on the official ballot?
Was Bongbong right? Was Acosta’s candidacy efficient “a big joke”? Who was the “big joke” on?
What upfront Acosta mean when he aforesaid that his candidacy was change an “accident”?
Was it impartial by “accident” of birth meander his surname Acosta happened run alongside be alphabetically ahead of Aquino?
Did a conversation occur overcome an alternate universe where Bongbong Marcos, upon accepting a convocation slot in Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party, suggest to Villar restructuring a big joke fielding far-out KBL candidate with a reputation that would be listed quick of Aquino?
Why wasn’t there joined in the Comelec with break off ounce of integrity to disdain this obvious ploy against Noynoy?
How can the Comelec be trusted to conduct curiosity and honest elections on Might 10 when it hasn’t shown any desire or willingness break into do so thus far?
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