MANILA — With only two weeks before election day, Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III moved past rivals in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Monday.

Aquino received a 38 percent voter preference, while his closest rival Nacionalista Party candidate Sen. Manual “Manny” Villar dropped two points to 26 percent in the pre-election survey conducted last April 16-19, 2010. Read rest of story

CEBU CITY — To answer recent defections, more than half of the country’s governors affirmed yesterday their support for administration presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

The governors’ caucus made their move shortly after losing their secretary-general, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, to the Liberal Party, and amid reports of defections by their mayor-allies. Read rest of story

CEBU CITY — Paying tribute to the Cebuanos’ “sipag at tiyaga,” presidential candidate Sen. Manuel Villar wooed voters in three Metro Cebu cities last night and offered his experience and a plan to fight poverty.

He refused to address speculations about local officials joining his camp, reportedly for its bigger war chest, and said he will wait for the officials themselves to speak up. Read rest of story

MANILA — With elections less than three weeks away, survey “tail-enders” said they are not the pushovers in this year’s presidential poll, accusing survey firms of “mind-conditioning” the voters in favor of the leading contenders.

Presidentiables Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan), Eddie Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas), John Carlos De los Reyes (Ang Kapatiran), and Nicanor Perlas (Independent) concurrently downplay results of pre-election surveys underestimating their chances in the race. Read rest of story

CEBU CITY — Presidential candidate Senator Richard Gordon said he will file this week criminal and administrative charges against two survey organizations, saying they released “questionable” results to condition voters’ minds.

Surveys by Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations (SWS) do not reflect what the people think about the presidential candidates, Gordon said in a press conference in Cebu Sunday. Read rest of story

BACOLOD CITY — All roads north of Negros Occidental down to Bacolod City “turned yellow” Wednesday to welcome Liberal Party (LP) presidential candidate Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and running mate Mar Roxas.

Aquino said he was delighted and surprised by the huge crowd that greeted them during their sorties in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City. Read rest of story

CEBU CITY — Saying that Lakas-Kampi-CMD is a fairly well-oiled party, One Cebu mayors who have pledged their support to Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro don’t have to eat their “palabra de honor.”

They will not also be easily swayed by monetary offers reportedly made by the camp of Sen. Manny Villar because “they have provisions” to sustain the campaign, said Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, 3rd district) in a press conference yesterday after the closed-door meeting of One Cebu mayors and the congressman at the Capitol Conference Room. Read rest of story

DAVAO CITY — A national motorcycle riders group with 1.2 million members pledged support Saturday for Nacionalista Party (NP) presidential candidate Manuel “Manny” Villar.

Around 300 officials of the Kababayan Riders Association for New Cultural Harmony and Order Inc. (Karancho) gathered in Davao city for a caucus at the Rizal Memorial College and vowed to support Villar. Read rest of story

MANILA — Two Liberal Party (LP) senatorial candidates asked Thursday the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify Senator Manny Villar from the 2010 presidential race.

Another candidate facing disqualification case is Ang Galing Pinoy party-list first nominee, incumbent Pampanga Representative Mikey Arroyo, who is seeking a congressional seat. Read rest of story

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Local supporters and candidates of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party held Wednesday a whole-day show of support for standard bearer Gilbert Teodoro.

The event was led by third district Representative Aurelio Gonzales Jr. in his district office in Barangay Sindalan here. Read rest of story