Free Republic

A MANDATE OF CHANGE By BENIGNO SIMEON C. AQUINO III President of the Philippines His Excellency Jose Ramos Horta, Former President Gloria Arroyo, Former President Fidel V. Ramos, Former President Joseph Estrada, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and members of the Senate, House Speaker Prospero Nograles and members of the House, justices of the Supreme Court, members of the foreign delegations,Your Excellencies of the diplomatic corps, fellow colleagues in government, aking mga kababayan. My presence here today is proof that you are my true strength. I never expected that I will be here taking my oath of office before you,...

In their hunt for someone good, wholesome and incorruptible, Philippines voters have conclusively chosen Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III to be their next president. But amid the general euphoria over Aquino's victory, there are some concerns about how this hitherto unremarkable senator will survive in the shark-infested waters of Philippines politics. There is one shark in particular of which he should be especially wary. Outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, has been elected to Congress and wants to become House Speaker. The widespread suspicion is she sees this as a pivotal position from which she...

Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino has a sizeable lead over rival Joseph Estrada in the Philippine presidential election, early results indicate. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Mr Aquino, son of former President Corazon Aquino, had about 40% of the vote with 38% of ballots counted. Millions of Filipinos have been voting for a president, vice-president and more than 17,000 other official posts. Voting was marred by the deaths of at least six people in political violence. Mr Estrada had about 25.76% of the vote, said Comelec chair Jose Melo, and property tycoon Manny Villar was trailing in third with just...