The COMELEC has declared 8 official presidential candidates for the 2010 Presidential Elections. The candidates will be included in the official ballot list during the automated elections to be held in May 2010:

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Legality of the automation of next year’s elections was upheld yesterday by the Supreme Court as they ruled that the automation deal was properly documented and that the petition of the Concerned Citizens Movement had no factual basis. SC said, COMELEC and Smartmatic Corp.-Total Information Management Inc. did not violate Republic Act 9369, commonly known as the Poll Automation Law. They also added that the law’s requirement for the Comelec to automate in at least 12 areas was not a prerequisite for the automation of next year’s elections. Chief Justice Reynato Puno concurred with the majority decision together with 9 other justices Consuelo Ynares-Santiago, Renato Corona, Minita Chico-Nazario, Antonio Eduardo Nachura, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, and Roberto Abad.

Boots Cadsawan, chairman of the FPJPM ( Filipinos for Freedom Justice and Progress Movement ) confirmed yesterday that FPJ’s daughter Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, will run for a Senatorial slate in the upcoming 2010 elections. According to Cadsawan,the confirmation was made yesterday at the Fernandina Media Forum at Club Filipino in San Juan, Greenhills. Mary Grace is a graduate of Assumption College who actively took part in the campaign of his father in 2004. But as of now, she has yet to decide as to what political party she will join to launch her campaign for her senatorial bid. FPJPM, On the other hand, has yet to announce their choice of presidential timber for next year’s election since they are still in the process of consultation with their officials from the different regions of the country.

Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino officially announced his candidacy for the 2010 elections as President. The announcement was made earlier at the Club Filipino in Greenhills San Juan that also marks the 40th day of President Cory’s death. A week ago, Sen. Mar Roxas sacrificed his candidacy to support Noynoy, that’s why he underwent series of consultations and spiritual retreat before he made the biggest decision in his life. His announcement drew a lot of cheer from all the people inside the Club Filipino. Councilor Shalani Soledad, Noynoy’s girlfriend was also there to support him together with Pinky and Kris, Noynoy’s siblings.

Freedom, Peace and Justice Movement or FPJM would mobilize nationwide support for the candidacy of Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to the 2010 elections. The group also supported the candidacy of the late Fernando Poe Jr. in 2004. According to Manny Portes, FPJM Chairman, they believed that Senator Noynoy is the most qualified to become president and lead the nation from the depths of corruption, chaos and poverty. Calls for Noynoy to run for president mounted after his mother’s funeral which was attended by hundreds of thousands. And just recently, Senator Mar Roxas announced his support to Noynoy as he stepped down from running as president.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord Movement announced yesterday that he will continue to run in the 2010 presidential elections. He said that he made the announcement as he wants to continue the vision of the Bangon Pilipinas Party. That means he is the latest addition for the Presidential aspirants for the 2010 polls. It was recalled that in 2004, Bro Eddie aspired to be the next President but unfortunately, he did not make it. Villanueva also added that Bangon Pilipinas respects the decision of Senator Mar Roxas to give way to his fellow Liberal to take on the torch of the Party’s leadership for the 2010 elections. But the party’s move does not influence Bangon Pilipinas’ own plans.

Presidential aspirants Governors Ed Panlilio of Pampanga and Grace Padaca of Isabela have decided to withdraw from the May elections and support Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on its aim to a higher position in the 2010 elections. This was after Sen. Mar Roxas, decided to step aside in favor of Aquino, who has gone on a spiritual retreat to seek “divine guidance” and ponder his next move. Panlilio and Padaca are scheduled to formally announce their support for Aquino at Club Filipino on Friday, joining them is Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo of the Liberal Party. This move aims to unify the opposition to have only one standard bearer for the 2010 Presidentiable race.

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson threw his support for Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, who has yet to decide whether or not to run for president in 2010. He also said that Former President Joseph Estrada should give up his presidential bid if he really wanted to lead a unification move in the opposition. Lacson gave his preference for Aquino as he believed it would surely fight corruption in the country. He also believes on Ninoy’s integrity as intact and would not steal the government’s coffer. It was recalled that Senator Lacson withdrew his desire to run for the 2010 Presidential race as he was allegedly involved in the Dacer-Corbito case in 2000 where he was the PAOCTF Chief that time.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay give way to former President Joseph Estrada as the latter stated his desire to run for the 2010 Presidential Elections. Binay choses to be Estrada’s running mate as Vice President. Binay said he supports Estrada’s effort to unite the opposition and field a single candidate for president in 2010. But he said that if the former President will not choose him, he will return to his private life and will not run for senator instead. Binay has proven his ability to implement policies as he made Makati into a number one Business Capital in the country, providing good benefits for his constituents through medical assistance, education and even in death.

It was a biggest decision Sen. Mar Roxas has made as he sacrificed his dream of running as President in 2010 elections to give way to Sen. Noynoy Aquino’s candidacy. Roxas’s decision was the product of serious talks with Sen. Aquino and that he would like to make the sacrifice for the sake of the country. He was cheered by the audience composed of his family members, LP leaders and members led by former Senate president Jovito Salonga, and supporters. It is also his way to unite the opposition as both of them were having the same dream to implement a clean, honest, and selfless public service. Meanwhile, Sen. Aquino is about to give his statement today.

A source from the opposition said that Former President Joseph Estrada wants Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero to be his running mate if he decides to run for president in the upcoming 2010 elections. The source said that Estrada prefers Escudero over Sen. Loren Legarda and Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay because of his good standings in surveys. Meawnhile, Escudero said that the former president had not discussed the matter with him yet. A recent SWS survey placed Estrada on top among the Presidentiables, followed by Sen. Manuel Villar, Escudero, Vice President Noli de Castro, and Loren Legarda. Estrada will be meeting them one by one to get their position in my pursuit to unify the opposition in fielding a single presidential candidate in 2010. He also said before that if he will not be able to unite the opposition to support a single candidate, he will definitely run for President next year.

Singing Bee host and Actor Cesar Montano will run for Governor in his homeland, Bohol. He will try again his political luck after losing his Senatorial Bid last 2007 elections under the Team Unity Coalition. Being in the show business for so many years, he learned that you also have the strength and determination when it comes to politics. Cesar’s goal for Bohol will focus on education, agriculture and tourism.

Detained Brig. General Danilo Lim announced his plans to run for the Senatorial slate in the 2010 elections. He already made his registration to Municipal Elections Chief Fidel Santos at Voter Precinct 102-A in Brgy. Quirino, Solano, Nueva Vizcaya where he declared his desire to run to serve the public. Lim was still on trial after being involved in series of coup plots together with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV in 2003. As of now, he is not yet choosing any Political party that will support his Senatorial bid.

After Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan confirmed his Vice Presidential bid, The Senator went to Hongkong to get in touch with OFW’s there. Meanwhile, Judy Ann Santos was also there to support Sen. Kiko because she believes in his political platform. She is also very close to Sen. Kiko’s wife, megastar Sharon Cuneta. Judai explained that the trip was also an effort to encourage the OFWs to vote in the upcoming national elections.The actress confirmed that she and husband Ryan Agoncillo intend to continuously support Sen. Kiko in his political campaigns in the future as long as their schedules permit. They also denied rumors that they will be running for public office in the future.

Reports came that Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero had a meeting with President GMA to ask for her support for the 2010 elections, but the Senator denied all these allegations. According to him, he have not sought, nor seek the endorsement of the President. It was his answer to the reports came out that “young” presidential hopefuls are secretly soliciting Mrs. Arroyo’s support even as they criticize her in public. The Senator said he had not even announced if he is going to run, but if he would, he will “seek only the endorsement of the Filipino people and will run as opposition because he had been consistently against, and had even questioned the mandate of this administration from the very start.