Everybody is holding their breaths waiting for what the next move of the beleaguered administration party, the Liberal Party (LP) of the Philippines will be. For some mysterious reason, LP presidential bet Mar Roxas failed to submit his campaign statement of contribution and expenditures (SOCE). Not only that, the LP itself failed to do the same by the mandatory 8th June deadline.
Under Philippine Law and the rules applied by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for this year’s elections, candidates cannot assume their duties in their elected posts if their respective nominating parties fail to comply with these rules by the specified deadline which is not extendable. In effect, the LP’s administrative failure has pretty much cost not only “vice president” Leni Robredo her seat at the Coconut Palace, it also disqualifies all of the the LP’s winning candidates from Congress all the way down to local government.
SUPPORT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL COMMENTARY! Subscribe to our Substack community GRP Insider to receive by email our in-depth free weekly newsletter. Opt into a paid subscription and you'll get premium insider briefs and insights from us. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter, GRP Insider! Learn more |
The COMELEC is in a bind. It cannot break the law, and back-pedalling on its own rules will set a bad precedent that has ramifications across the Philippines’ fragile “democracy”.
Most curious of all is the deafening silence in both corporate media, Malacanang, and the COMELEC that shrouds this debacle in mystery. Why, people are now asking, did the LP fail to comply to such a simple administrative requirement? And why has it so far failed to frame the nebulous messages it had sent out to the public since the 8th of June around the specific tenets of electoral law and COMELEC guidelines that are relevant in this issue?
Where there is silence from both “thought leaders” and national leadership, speculation, of course, becomes rampant.
One of the most plausible theories surrounding the failure of the LP to disclose its financials is that it may have spent billions in its failed effort to win the presidency for Mar Roxas. Robredo’s bid for the vice presidency alone cost 418 million pesos, dwarfing her statistically-tied rival Bongbong Marcos’s expenditure of just 140 million pesos.
There is also the other big issue of the electoral fraud allegations that surround Robredo’s “win”. Some observers have put forth the possibility that the LP had, by failing to meet the SOCE requirement, deliberately sabotaged Robredo’s vice presidency bid to diffuse any further attention to these cheating allegations. If, in fact, the LP did conspire to cheat both winners and “losers” in these elections of millions of legitimate votes (as many Filipinos now suspect), there is a strong likelihood that this may come to light during the administration of President-elect Rodgrigo Duterte. Marcos is making good on his threat to file an electoral protest highlighting these allegations. He is also good friends with Duterte who, in turn, had vowed to keep Robredo out of his Cabinet.
Indeed, in light of Roxas’s colossal loss at the polls, the embarrassingly enormous amount of money that was likely spent on his bid, the allegations of cheating that are likely to stick for years, and the very real possibility that Robredo will be mere expensive executive ornamentation over the next six years, the LP is unlikely to reap any tangible benefit from a Robredo vice presidency. More importantly, Robredo has been showing signs that she’s been distancing herself from the LP since her so-called “win” became apparent as the count came to a close in May. She has stopped wearing the characteristic LP yellow colours and no longer flashes the “L” hand gesture during public appearances. It is easy to see the writing on the wall in hindsight. Robredo was the VP candidate of last resort for the LP in the early months leading to the campaign, to begin with. Thus, the emerging turncoatism she is starting to exhibit is not surprising.
If the law and COMELEC rules are allowed to prevail and LP “winners” in these elections — including Robredo — are allowed to be disqualified for the LP’s non-compliance to the SOCE requirement, Bongbong Marcos will take his rightful place in government. Perhaps then, the electoral raps Marcos is currently working on that are likely to implicate COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista along with members of the LP leadership will be dropped and the whole episode will pass into history as a mere footnote. The collateral damage — Robredo’s pride and the hopes of a handful of would-be congressmen and senators — will simply be a minor write-off in the overall bigger scheme of securing the on-going integrity of the LP banner and the Yellow brand of the Aquino-Cojuangco clan.
It does makes sense. Under such a scenario, important people will be happy. People who matter will be appeased. Certain issues will be swept under the rug.
And on the small matter of The Truth? Again, like Robredo, The Truth is really just a bargaining chip that can be played or withdrawn from the table depending on how the game should play out. That’s really all there is to it. It’s just politics.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
No matter what, I think Bongbong Marcos should file the protest, even if he gets the vice presidency, and still force the LP to produce the SOCE. Mar Roxas ( i think ) will spill the beans about the LP’s shenanigans to save whatever he thinks he can save about himself.
Brilliant journalism change is indeed coming from a generation that is totally switched on. Here in Australia we only see the Bandila news a program of ABS-CBN, they don’t mention any of these controversies, it just shows that there’s an invisible hand that’s more sinister than Dr Evil. Good on Duterte for bringing the body of Marcos home to give him the proper burial he deserves this totally sticks it right up the oligarchs of the Aquino-Cojuangco Chinese triads.
http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=539751&page=56
Do an article and search for the real Dr Evil in the Philippines it’d make for really great reading. Keep up the good work.
As much I would hate to see Robredo be the VP, I don’t think she and the other winning LP candidatea will be disqualified. Their hold on the COMELEC aside, it would be too much pressure revoking all the LP wins. Towns will revolt if their righful elected mayor be replaced by someone else. No matter how much you explain to them that this is the law and this is what has to be done, they will still feel cheated.
This isnt just about Robredo and the LP senators… This has far reaching consequences and people WILL get angry. They might be on the other side of the law but dont you ever underestimate the power of a mob.
This alone will be enough to convince COMELEC to grant LP the extension. Add bribes, promises, and threats into the mix and it’s a done deal.
There is no provision for extending the deadline. Why is it that the LP always has to get special treatment?
Because they are being paid for in the millions by the Aquino-Cojuangcos. Money for them is power.
It is about time Filipinos learn to follow what the law says. What you are suggesting is a blatant disregard of the law, because you think people will revolt. But, why do you even assume that people will revolt if the law is applied? The people and their candidates should revolt instead against their party, instead of to the government. This SOCE provisions are not negotiable. The LP knows this. What makes them special that they can be granted a reprieved? And if by a stroke of luck, reversing the scenario,that Duterte and the other opposition winners party were negligent, like the LP, what do you think the LP and this inutil administration will do? It is their chance to grab back the presidency thru Roxas, is it not?
Right on my friend!
I’m not suggesting anything, sweetie. I just saying don’t get your hopes up about this little fiasco because I’m pretty sure COMELEC would rather give LP the extension rather than deal with an angry mob, an ignorant mob at that.
I want the whole LP slate to get disqualified as much as you do, but I’m just being realistic here…
On another footnote, even if COMELEC blatantly disregard the law, just so they think they can get away with it, don’t you think some losing candidates will not want to elevate their cases to the SC? Maybe, you can say as much that the SC is also as dirty, but, a two strike for defending against imposition of a law, this is a better recipe for another revolt from the people.
Constitutional crisis if LP given an special treatment..The BIR is watching on their SOCE
The only get away to this scandal is to pnoy to amend the SOCE thru executive order as long he still have immunity
HAHA BINGO! Watching these fools move about all these years – I guess it really doesn’t take X-men telepathic powers to guess what’s in their depraved coconuts now.
(NIV)
What happened to PH media, the very agents Pinoys depend on for delivering the motto “the truth shall set you free”? It’s as if the subject of LP’s SOCE non-submission is some unwritten taboo that could cost one very dearly.
Indeed, all this deafening silence for too long now renders this apparent “failure by incompetency” debacle to be more than meets the eye. Yes, some conspiracy theories can be right – and I can confidently bet on this one.
It is makes it more and more obvious every passing day that LP is covering its tracks on all the fraud and irregularity bursting from the seams of their overspending-riddled cheating-infested lost cause.
Like some chess player who sacrifices his should-have-been powerful rook and knight to protect the lame-duck king, the battle cry has degenerated to “Save the Yellow king AT ALL COSTS”.
Du30-BBM which will soon eclipse this previously LP-controlled country after the end of this month is a looming dark cloud that carries with it tremendous high-voltage thunder bolts of lightning, a coming storm that makes PNoy tremble with the thought of landing in jail for all his SINS against brown humanity.
The marching order from the top is simply to flush all evidence down the toilet ASAP before the cops arrive. LP is scrambling along with COMELEC to contain the decaying stench – like a potential silent fart that a bikini-posing Ms. Universe contestant tries to hold while smiling at a sea of cheering spectators.
Bloggers and Social Media rule in the quest for truth and exposing the scum of our pearly white-sand shores. Hopefully, Pinoys will NOT simply move on when LP and COMELEC sweep all this garapalang pandaraya under the carpet.
WARNING: Eat Bulaga and Telenovela shows are meant to keep you people of zombie-land all laughing and entertained enough to NOT run out into the streets in protests for this outright electoral sabotage.
PNoy is simply hoping Filipinos are stupid enough to buy their next explanation/story.
Maybe he doesn’t realize: Integrity is supreme. Wolves are exposed. Corruptors fall by the hand of the Almighty (ZC)
Hilarious and eloquently stated! You made me laugh out loud.
Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.
With representation there to do the speaking, the guilty are suddenly given the freedom that comes with hiding behind the fact that they never said that – in fact, they never said anything!
You can’t find lies standing next to the truth, it’s always hiding behind the truth.
remember this controversial ad video of Mar Roxas’ Fast Forward? Surely this one costs P500 million. 😀
https://youtu.be/oofYDt_KFfY
holy shitt ahaha 500million for this?? LOL
Madam lugaw,get out of them DAT u me nat sher on der plaques.. Do not b misled,God is not to b mocked, for whatever a person is sowing,this he will also reap,magtanim ng mabuti at aani Karin naman ng kabutihan.
i am looking forward to July 1st. . . LP wings would probably be broken, they will become powerless! ????
…..i’m afraid for RRD/BBM. Take care you two. Take care of them Filipino people. If the Evils were able to kill the husband of the mother of the incumbent son (salamat 18 days na lang!!!) …. i shudder.
You thoughts right out of my head benign0.
I have the same feeling….
Oh! the dirty politics in our beloved country, the poor Philippines. If that’s the case, it’s nostalgia. Just being reminded about thirty years ago or so. Leni just like Cory. Maybe, Leni just like Cory let her use them for her agenda of revenge and she use them to be in power. And now before she takes her oath, LP just suddenly remembered the history of Cory and Doy. They did this before history repeats itself. Just an ordinary citizen’s theory. I am not against Leni nor Cory eventhough i am always vocal that i am for BBM. Honestly, hindi ako naaawa kay Leni if ever she was sabotaged by LP (not because natalo si BBM ha.)
My sympathy just goes to the people that she encountered whom she have said were victims of Human Rights Violations (of Martial Law man yon or Aquino administration.) Sayang lang, because if she could accumulate that huge amount of money for campaign, sana nabigay niya na lang pantulong yon. If that’s her real purpose of running. Well, para namang telenovela ang politics always with a different twists.
I’m an OFW, na till now mahirap parin, subaybay na lang sa drama nila but we are not stupid as what they think. I still think BBM deserved our vote. But we can not have the best of both worlds. Happy enough that Rodrigo Duterte is our incoming president. (para lang sa akin ha) Happy Independence Day to all! Peace and love to all!
Aquino and his cahoots, Mar Roxas, are all afraid of the investigation, done by non partisan investigators. The guilt of their cheating is there.
They are trying to ask for a plea bargain. This is the reason, Mar Roxas does not care, anymore , if his LP candidates,who “won”, will serve or not.
The thorough investigation of the Electoral Fraud must continue. These people have violated the Election Laws. They must be indicted and punished !
If I come and steal your money. Then, you found out, that I was the thief. However, I want to return your money; and ask you, to forget everything about it. Would you allow me to just return the stolen money?Just forget, I am the thief?
There were Frauds and cheatings in the 2016 election. Aquino, Mar Roxas, the Liberal Party winners, SMARTMATIC and COMELEC Bautista; were all involved in the cheating. Are we willing to forgive these evil people? And, overlook their evil deeds ?
mayor Rody should be aware of the yellows in the house of representatives destructing him of his golden dreams for the Pilipinos like they did to Ferdinand Marcos sr. they’re still around building up at the house.
this video is the other way around of what really happened.
June 9, 10, and 11 saw three successive ‘GRP’ blogs flaunting and celebrating the loss of Mar Roxas and, speculating on the looming problems surrounding Leni Robredo’s proclamation as Vice-President. The jubilation and gloating seem to mirror the ‘schadenfreude’ that Miss Ilda had written about earlier. To a casual observer, who had no real sentiments one way or the other, these articles would have been dismissed, simply as a wrinkle in a people’s culture. What would not be missed so easily, though, is the impression of a mean-spirited attitude, and the difficulty, therefore, for these people’s coming together… and as one country united… push for a better tomorrow for the country and her people.
Everyone is, of course free to express what he/she feels. ‘Thank Heavens for that’. It is one thing though to preach forbearance and goodwill on one hand; and show intolerance and vindictiveness on the other…in the very same pages.
We will come together as a nation, but we do not want to embrace liars and cheaters.
If you build a village, would you invite criminals to live there and welcome them with open arms?
There was cheating, in the 2016 election…and we all want a thorough investigation. Most of us in the GRP , did not gloat. I , myself did not. I was outraged by the evilness, these people have done by frustrating the will of the Filipino voters. They inserted themselves, as winners in the 2016 election, thru dubious means…
One of the owner of ABS CBN is Cojuangco-Aquino Clan using a fictitious name…
It’s another one of those combined Yellow Party and “Chekwa” strategy to misled the masses, while they monopolized the socio-economic infrastructures of this country.
Let’s be vigilant and continue to seek the real score what happen last election, for Filipinos to know.
Logic ng tambay. Tagalugin mo ang mga sinabi dito at lalabas na pang kantong pagiisip lamang at walang kalaman laman. Napakahusay mo benigno. Haka haka at sariling opinyon na walang basehan kundi ang “biased” na pag-interpret ng mga balita. Nakakaawa ang mga napapaniwala mo. Lumalabas ang kabobohan ng mga nagkukunwaring matatalino, mga mambabasang ni hindi tinitignan kung ang pinangagalingan ng balita ay dapat paniwalaan.
Unfortunately, son. You’re missing the point. Apparently, you’re clueless that even Philippine media is also biased as well.
Please take your FAGGOTRY to somewhere else.
I’ll pick ‘biased” philippine media over this blog any day of the week. And the whole point of my comment is that the post has no point at all. It’s mere wordplay and speculations. All syntax, no semantics, like reading the words of someone who likes to hear himself speak. And I post under my real name, which is more than I can say for you. So, who’s the faggot now?
Jeff de leon,
You’ve been brainwashed by the mind-numbing Failippine media and it has fed your “Pinoy Pride” ego for far too long.
I supposed the mind-numbing programs of ABS-CBN and GMA, including the Yellow Party-influenced newspaper publications, have all the syntax and semantics you need, and were written and directed by people who didn’t put their own persona into the scripts. Give me a fucking break.
These Yellow Party-driven, biased media had you–and millions of our fellow Fliptards–entertained and brainwashed at the same time for 3 decades into living zombies, who are unable to think for themselves to see how their country had been raped by the Yellow Party and their “Chekwa” business partners, before being driven into misery and poverty.
Aeta
If your biased media is dear to you and closer to your heart, then what the fuck
are you doing here posting I may ask. Trying to spread your dumbass ignorance like a virus?
Trying so hard to let us all know what a genius you are and how dumb we must be?
Please give us a break with your brain farts. Don’t stink up the place.
Speculations? More like truths. And now you’re wondering why Duterte is taking jabs on the media due to being ‘biased’ in their own reporting as well.
You’re clueless about the fact that most Philippine media are biased since it was owned by rich families and businessmen. ABS-CBN was owned by the Lopez family, who are staunch allies with the Aquinos.
So who’s the faggot? Still you because you’re stilling on your own ignorance. And just like your Noynoy Aquino, you won’t reply back since you have no balls.
“Small minds discuss people. Average minds discuss events. Great minds discuss IDEAS.”
Posting your real name is useless since it proves that you’re actually TROLLING on this site.
So yeah, the faggot is still you due to being a point misser and a TROLL.
Hope you’re proud of yourself.
wag mo nalang yang patulan tong mga loser na to, dito lang sila magaling ang manira, ni wala namang nagawa o nacontribute sa bansa natin. This blog is own by loser gaya ng talunan na bong bong mandarambong mga loser.. i repeat. Loooosser.
@Marie Santos
Luma na yang “eh anong naitutulong nyo?”, “may nagawa ka ba?” at yung “ano na ba nagawa mo?” This isn’t about BBM but about the integrity of the entire election process. There’s no need for you to have a breakdown here.
Marie Santos,
You’re probably one of those “fucked up” Fliptards who are totally sold on the “Pinoy Pride” propaganda of the Yellow “Chekwa” Party that your country is doing just fine, by blinding you with their SM malls, high rise condominiums, name brand automobiles, and the Kris Aquino glamorous lifestyle.
Aristocratic and self-serving Fliptards like you are the reasons why the country is suffering. You only give a shit about how much you enjoy the glittering facades while you ignore the fleecing of your country and enslaving of your people by these oligarchs.
You display the general attitude of our people –“it’s every man [woman] for himself”–and the reason why our country is still fucked up. Keep up the good work, whore.
Aeta
@Marie Santos:
Says the actual WHORE with a LOSER MENTALITY since she failed to realize that this is all about the integrity of these elections. And thankfully, you’re an actual LOSER since you exposed your own ignorance and idiocy.
Jeff de Leon,
If I wrote in Tagalog then I’ll only be catering to your stupidity instead of educating the international community, whose members speak English, to get a real feel for what’s going on in our “fucked up” country.
The problem with stupid Fliptards like yourself is you want the comment to be spoken in our Tagalog dialect so you can comeback with a “Patraydor” (back stabbing) response that has nothing to do with the real issues on hand, or you’ll blame everybody under the sun and moon but not yourself, with what’s wrong with our country.
Just re-read everything that you’ve written. You’ve said a lot but really didn’t say shit that made sense. You’re the one with a typical “Kanto Boy” (Stupid Fliptard Street Loiterer) mentality, who’ll fire his handgun on New Year’s Eve to get his thrill, without a care in the world where the rounds lands or who it hits.
No wonder the whole country, including you and me, are fucked up. We’re just too “fucking proud to be a Fliptard” aren’t we?
Aeta
exactly right Aeta, back stabbing. they get pork barrel (lower faction of the yellow admin) and they becomes the scapegoat.
Pero pag tinanong ka naman saang parte ng sinulat dito ang spekulasyon at haka-haka e di mo naman matukoy. Aminin mo na kasing nasasaktan ka lang na binibira ang katotohanang gusto mo.
Dapat paniwalaan ang ABS CBN..Tahimik sila sa SOCA scandal ng LP
natatkot sila ilabas ang SOCE kasi mabibisto sino pinaka malaki contributor nila eh..and besides parang nahahalata na cguro ni mar na iniwan sya ni pnoy, abad at drilon..baka babae ang pinaka alaking contributor ng LP and ayaw lng nilang pangalanan dahil sa seccurity reasons…pero sasabhin ko na rin baka galing kay YOLANDA ang funds nila hikhikhik
Baket di pa sabihing galing sa laglag bala at yolanda at sa mga drug money galing ang pera para di na mag imbistiga ang BIR.. Nakalimutan ko na iba ay galing kotong from PNP AFP
Disqualified na… not extendible nga diba… nakakaintindi na sila? #bbmtherealvp
Baket di pa sabihing galing sa laglag bala at yolanda at sa mga drug money galing ang pera para di na mag imbistiga ang BIR.. Nakalimutan ko na iba ay galing kotong from PNP AFP
I think this is retribution by Mar Roxas and maybe he realized enough is enough. He may even be commended by the people after all the years they think of him negatively. Atleast this way he can redeem himself, reducing the guilt though it will take time but this will be the biggest of them all. I just hope that the “LAW” won’t be broken though I believe they will since the person in Comelec Office is aquino’s cousin and a yellow oligarch family member.
doon nga sa helicopter ay no comment si andy bautista. Dinipensa pa niya ang tinanggal ang security features ng VCM.. Tahimik ang ABS CBN dito
So I’ve read somewhere, even if Robredo is disqualified, it still won’t mean the current 2nd placer BBM will replace her. What is said to happen is that the president will choose a temporary VP among the incumbent Senators or Congressmen.
Also, regarding the corporate media silence… I’ve skimmed through the major media news sites for news related to the SOCE. The only coverage they had mostly is Leni’s announcement that “LP will submit by June 30”. They’re not as keen on reporting LP winners potential disqualifications as rumors of BBM potentially getting a cabinet seat in Duterte’s administration.
BBM should be VP since he was elected. Normally, the 2nd place takes the position if 1st gets disqualified just like in a my other competition or sports. But who knows, The PNOY administration might think of somethin again. I think if COMELEC don’t disqualify the LP candidates, people should rise up and protest.
Wheeeew …with all these, people are just taking e very deep breath while waiting for the results of investigatios and replacement (if there would be)of Vice Pres…even if it is very clear to us who made all these chaos, the culprit still lives a luxuriuos life sans conscience…HE must pay the price!!!
Only Robredo ? What about Porkchop Drilon and the other winning LP candidates ?
Lena Rob redo is busy as a decorative vice President. Porky Drilon who cheated and inserted, himself, as number 1 Senator , is busy as a Hacienda Luisita Swine. He is eyeing again for a huge Pork Barrel…
The LP stupidly spent the national budget on their campaign banking on the pledges of big business contributors to cover the cost later. But when Mar lost, big biz, did a 180 they withdrew their pledges, so now the LP is panicking because DU30 will have their heads for squandering the taxpayers money. Since Leni won, they moved heaven and earth to make her SOCE appear legit by using real contributors from the LP, The rest of the LP got stuck with worthless pledges and a lot of doctoring to do.
How can the ABS CBN help the Lapian Pork to pass this nightmare..Probably they will claim they always win a lottery and used the prize for campaign
LP candidates should be DISQUALIFIED since that’s the law. I hope Andres Bautista and other comelec commissioners will rule on this. As early as now, COMELEC should just announce the disqualification. What is there to investigate and discuss ?
To Mar, if you are the cause of the late submission of Soce, I think you did a great job. It’s been a long time since you did something honorable. I liked you before when you were still Mr. Palengke, but I don’t know what happened.
To Leni, I’m sorry, you’ve just been sabotage kawawa ka naman. Sana you didn’t agree to be part of LP.
LIberal Party now have a very bad reputation, I hope this political party remove all the bad seeds especially Pnoy who is a joke and will surely go to jail.