The main news is on the supposed mutiny by prosecutors (Prosecutors mutiny in DoJ). I leave it to the judgement of the news readers whether the actions and words by prosecutors were mutinous. As to how the news played out politically, I have seen no reference to any candidates, except for a comment made by former Sen. Franklin Drillon who is now running for senator under the LP. There is also no reference made to President Arroyo. So I say this news report is neutral politically except a slight edge for the LP. However, the news is quite one-sided against Agra as it did not give his side or response to the very few actual issues raised.
The other news (Agra on his fate: It’s the President’s call), probably to balance the one-sided treatment of the main headline, is the supposed side of Agra on the issue. However, it is still negative to Agra as it focuses on his supposed previous work as election lawyer to the candidates of the administration in the past election. The insinuation made is that President Arroyo is linked to Agra and at least perhaps linked to AGra's decision. I think the news report is unfair in its insinuation and thereby negative to President Arroyo. There was no mention or reference however on other national candidates.
The third news about Agra's Ampatuan resolution (DoJ order irks kin of massacre victims) is, surprisingly not just about Agra, but about the connection of the situation to Manila Villar:
Vice Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu of Buluan, Maguindanao, said he believed that Justice Secretary Alberto Agra’s decision to drop murder charges against two members of the Ampatuan clan was connected to a plot to cheat in the May 10 presidential election.
The interview continues thus:
Pressed to identify the presidential candidate, he only dropped hints.
He said that Liberal Party standard-bearer, Benigno Aquino III, had no wife and that administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro’s wife was not doing the rounds on her own.
Then he went on to point out how Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the principal suspect in the massacre, had said in a television interview before his transfer to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City that his presidential candidate was Nacionalista Party’s Manuel Villar.
The news also gave space to the LP standard bearer and running mate:
Aquino and his running mate, Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, said the dropping of murder charges against Zaldy and Akmad was part of a Malacañang plot to manipulate the elections in Mindanao.
“Let’s not forget that one of those dropped from the murder charge (Zaldy Ampatuan) is the governor of ARMM, who was suspended because of the case. If his suspension is lifted, then we are back to the issue of the conduct of elections in the ARMM,” Aquino said in a press conference.
Aquino said that he was deeply disappointed by Agra’s decision. “Since it has already been filed in court, he (Agra) should have just let the court decide on the merit of the testimony implicating the two,” said Aquino.
In an interview with reporters, Roxas said: “This is all related to politics, to the elections.”
“It’s A-1 information from my feelers. She told me that the wife visited the old man Ampatuan Sr.,” said Mangudadatu, who is running for governor in Maguindanao under the administration party.
and to Sen. Jamby Madrigal directly linking it to Sen. Villar.
For Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, the justice department resolution was the biggest travesty perpetrated by President Macapagal-Arroyo and her anointed candidate Manny Villar.
In a statement, Madrigal, a presidential candidate, also said “finally, the rabbit is out of the hat.”
“With principal suspect Andal Ampatuan Jr. brandishing the orange prison baller bracelet of Manny Villar to match his orange prison uniform, the Villaroyo conspiracy is exposed in its full glory,” she said.
There is also a mute and uncontroversial comment by Teodoro.
The response meanwhile from the Villar camp is covered in a separate news report (Villars angry over Davao meeting story). Cong. Cynthia Villar, who was said in the unverified report to have met with Andal Ampatuan Sr., denied that he ever met with the Ampatuan patriarch. Although the news reports the Villar denial, it went on to give space to another information from an unnamed source in the military who said that it was LP Senatorial candidate Remulla who visited Andal Sr.
But another military officer, who asked not to be named for lack of authority to speak on the matter, said NP senatorial candidate Gilbert Remulla visited Andal Sr. a month ago.
“He was here for less than an hour,” the military officer said.
The officer said several Maguindanao town mayors also visited Andal Sr. to discuss the presidential, vice presidential and senatorial candidates they would campaign for in their respective towns.
“They (mayors) consulted the old man,” the source said.
Villar, Roxas, Bongbong
“I saw their line-up—Villar for president, Mar Roxas for vice president and their senatorial candidates included Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon Revilla, Gilbert Remulla, Bongbong Marcos and Miriam Defensor-Santiago,” the source said.
Amazing how readers are being led in a circular chase seemingly designed to confuse everyone while leaving an unfounded conclusion that Villar indeed had a hand in the developments. It is very glaring on these two news reports how the Villar camp is mistreated while his competiton, especially LP's Sen. Aquino is given quite a space for their one-sided opinions. So I give these news as positive to Aquino, neutral for most others in the Presidential lineup while extremely negative for Villar.
Meanwhile, on other political news in the front page, the news on Teodoro (Teodoro wins new Lakas support but avoids Arroyo meeting) focuses on the negative things in his campaign such as his supposed avoidance of Arroyo and the alleged move to dump by his party members his Presidential candidate Edu Manzano. The news on Estrada (Estrada gets surprise greetings from Teodoro, Aquino) on the other hand shows the personal side of the former President, giving him lengthy positive coverage. The other news (about the SWS hunger and poverty survey and the Ash clouds emanating from Europe) in the front page are generally neutral politically.
So who do I give today's front page to? I think it goes positive for Erap, somewhat positive for Noynoy, totally negative for Villar, Somehow negative for Gibo, Somehow positive for Madrigal, while unmindful to all the rest. So I give it to Estrada this time and the score goes like this: Aquino 5, Erap 1, all the rest 0!
Meanwhile, If I would give a rating of negative treatment for the other candidates recalling from recent past issues, Villar must have been the most negatively reported candidate in the Inquirer front page.
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