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Mary Ann Benitez

A Muslim woman, four scions of wealthy political families and three newbies – these Otso Diretso political party candidates are hoping the lucky number eight will prove fortuitous when voting is held on May 13 for 12 seats in the Philippine legislature.
The election for the bicameral Congress and local officials is seen as a referendum on populist President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte’s governance, described as a train wreck by his critics but hailed as helping the people by his diehard supporters.
Hong Kong could play a crucial role, as it has the biggest bloc of overseas absentee voters.
About half of some 87,000 registered Filipino voters in the city will begin casting their votes on April 13 for a month, closing on May 13 at 4pm at the Bayanihan centre in Kennedy Town. It could be the bellwether for an Otso Diretso win or a pro-Digong victory.
Duterte must find an heir – or face the music on his drug war
Otso Diretso (The Honest Eight), led by Manuel “Mar” Roxas, the defeated 2016 presidential candidate, is confident the city’s expat voters will propel them to the Senate.
Of some 300,000 Filipinos in Hong Kong, about 270,000 are domestic workers with the rest being permanent residents, dependants or working in professional positions in various industries.

On April 7, some Digong team candidates called Hugpong ng Pagbabago (Faction for Change), will address a rally in Central, followed by a song-and-dance performance by former communications chief Mocha Uson.
It is not known whether Davao city mayor Sara Duterte, who founded the HNP to support her father, would show up at the event after her recent controversial remarks that honesty does not matter in candidates when Imee Marcos, daughter of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was caught lying about graduating from the University of the Philippines law school.
The pro-Duterte rally comes weeks after Otso Diretso went on a charm offensive promising honesty, integrity, and vowing to fight for the future by enacting laws that benefit the masses.
The alliance is a partnership with the Liberal Party led by incumbent senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, the popular lawyer-husband of megastar Sharon Cuneta.
Duterte is the Putin of Asia. Maria Ressa is the proof
It has become more social media-savvy and has a moniker: MATH GRAD, which stands for the first letter of their surnames.
It comprises rights lawyer Romulo “Romy” Macalintal; former congressman Gary Alejano, who spent seven years in jail for involvement in a military uprising; former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada; former solicitor general and constitutional law professor Florin “Pilo” Hilbay; Marawi-born ex-member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission Samira Gutoc; former secretary of the interior and local government Roxas; Senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV; and human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno.

“One issue that differentiates us from the previous campaign [in 2016] is the issue of justice,” Diokno said. “We have a big problem in the politics of justice but also corruption because of problems of judicial accountability and transparency.”
Tañada said: “If the president is really interested in helping solve the problems of our overseas foreign workers here, he can use his ‘special relationship’ with China to ensure the rights of the workers.”
The eight were hand-picked by the opposition’s de facto leader, vice-president Leni Robredo.
“I am the number one campaigner of Otso Diretso because I believe in them. I believe that they will bring a lot of goodness. I believe they will fight for what is right and just,” Robredo declared.
Coco Martin is one of the Philippines’ biggest stars – because he’s an everyman
Earlier, Robredo was mobbed by fans when she attended the campaign rally for her team outside the Court of Final Appeal in Central.
She batted for the absent Alejano, Aquinoand Roxas, the best friend of her late husband Jesse, a former secretary of the interior and local government who died in a light aircraft crash in 2012.

“Secretary Mar went to Masbate immediately to join the search for the crashed aircraft,” she said.
Roxas did not leave the site until the plane was found three days later and was the first to tell her “Sorry, Jesse’s gone”.
Roxas could not come to Hong Kong as he was on “daddy duties” for baby twins Pepe and Pilar with journalist-wife Korina Sanchez.
Professor Lucia Palpalatoc-Tangi, chairwoman of the UP Diliman Department of Journalism, said Otso Diretso has a hard climb because “many [voters] would still say they prefer Duterte because of his ‘pro-masa’ style”.


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The Philippines

Philippine Senate hopefuls appeal for expat votes in Hong Kong

otso diretso candidates at Hotel Jen Pokfulam briefing on Mar 2 taken by Mary ann benitez

epa07454853 Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte (R) and Vice-president Leni Robredo (L) attend commencement exercises of graduating police officers at Camp General Mariano Castaneda in Silang, Philippines, 22 March 2019. According to reports, Duterte on March 21, formally announced the end of government's peace negotiations with communist rebels. The president ordered a stop to peace talks with the communist rebels, due to continued attacks on government forces by the communist armed group 'New People's Army'. EPA-EFE/FRANCIS R. MALASIG

Otso Diretso candidate Samira Gutoc at Hotel Jen, Pokfulam on March 9. Photo taken by Mary Ann Benitez

Philippine vice-president Leni Robredo addresses a rally in Hong Kong. Photo: Mary Ann Benitez

To reclaim Philippines from Beijing’s grasp, US must look beyond the South China Sea

A US navy ship anchored off Manila Bay. Photo: AP

A Filipino-Chinese holds both a Philippine and Chinese flags as he takes photos of "Handan," a guided missile frigate, as it docks at Manila's South Harbor for a four-day port call Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019 in Manila, Philippines. Two other ships from the Chinese Naval Task Group "Wuhu," also a guided missile frigate and "Dongpinghu," a replenishment or supply ship, arrived with "Handan" in the second such visit of a China People's Liberation Army Navy or PLAN, under President Rodrigo Duterte's administration. The visit comes a few days after US and British warships conducted its first joint naval exercises near the contested Spratlys Group of islands in the South China Sea. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

FILE - In this Oct. 9, 2018, file photo, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte addresses congressmen and Government officials during the presentation of Republic Act bills in a ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Manila, Philippines. Duterte on Thursday, March 14, publicly named 46 government officials, including three congressmen, he said are involved in illegal drugs, and added that criminal investigations against them are underway.(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)

graphic for online The overlapping claims of China and the Philippines in the South China Sea Guangzhou I-long Kong TAIWAN Chinese nine dash claim Hainan Island Paracel Islands VIETNAM West Philippine Luzon Sea Manila PHILIPPINES Spratly Islands Palawan Philippines claim PACIFIC OCEAN 200km TWA/SCMP

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Asia

Southeast Asia

Hong Kong

The election is seen as a referendum on President Rodrigo Duterte’s governance
About half of 87,000 registered Filipino voters in the city will begin casting their ballots on April 13


About half of 87,000 registered Filipino voters in the city will begin casting their ballots on April 13.


Rodrigo Duterte

Asia elections

Philippine Senate hopefuls appeal for expat votes in Hong Kong

The election is seen as a referendum on President Rodrigo Duterte’s governance About half of 87,000 registered Filipino voters in the city will begin casting their ballots on April 13

The election is seen as a referendum on President Rodrigo Duterte’s governance

About half of 87,000 registered Filipino voters in the city will begin casting their ballots on April 13