The surroundings of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Intramuros, Manila was almost covered by yellow as Liberal Party's (LP) Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president on Saturday.

Hundreds of supporters clad in yellow shirts flooded the vicinity of the poll body's office, holding placards and raising yellow lanterns, shouting Pagbabago! Pag-asa! (Change! Hope!).

Aquino and his running mate, vice-presidential aspirant Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas filed their COCs shortly after 11 a.m..

The LP's senatorial candidates -- former Senator Franklin Drilon, Congressmen Rozzano "Ruffy" Biazon, Teofisto "TG" Guingona III and Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel, former Congressman Nereus Acosta, former socioeconomic planning secretary Ralph Recto and Sonia Roco, widow of the late presidential candidate Raul Roco -- also filed their COCs.

Butch Abad, LP spokesman, told ANC that they are expecting to complete their 12-man senatorial ticket on Saturday.

Sen. Sergio Osmeña, who was supposed to be included in the LP senatorial ticket, filed his COC for senator on Friday as an independent.

The filing followed a 9 a.m. Mass at the Manila Cathedral and a short program held at a makeshift stage set up by the LP near the Comelec building. Shalani Soledad, Aquino's girlfriend, and the senators' sisters, including actress and TV host Kris Aquino, went to the Comelec to show support for the LP's presidential candidate.

"Good luck to Senator Noynoy and of course to Senator Mar and the whole Liberal Party. I hope the support from the people will not waver," Soledad told ABS-CBN News in an interview.

She said she is willing to accompany Aquino in sorties once the campaign period starts. She added that she is willing to do anything to help the senator win his presidential bid.

Aquino's supporters launched a fund-raising drive for his campaign on Friday (November 27), the birthday of national hero, the late senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

The senator also answered some tough questions from Boto Mo Patrollers head-on on Friday night, including his interest in the Hacienda Luisita and whether he is fit for the highest post of the land.

"Walang problema na i-transfer ang asset, basta walang utang... sa lupain," Aquino said.

The senator, the only son of the late senator and the late President Corazon Aquino, entered politics as representative of the 2nd District of Tarlac in 1998.

He ran for senator and won in the 2007 elections.

Police have ended a grisly search for corpses and mass graves from an election-linked massacre in the southern Philippines, with the known death toll standing at 57, officials said Saturday.

The authorities dismissed several news reports that quoted a police official saying he had counted 64 bodies from the slaughter just off a farming road in the province of Maguindanao on Mindanao island.

"We ended the search yesterday," Senior Superintendent Bienvenido Latag, the police chief of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, told reporters by telephone.

"We have 57 bodies in our official list. Of course we are still checking and if there are reports of more bodies we will verify those. But so far, the information that we have is that the total has not changed."

Chief Superintendent Josefino Cataluna, the police chief of central Mindanao, also confirmed the toll.

The last 11 were pulled out from two adjacent mass graves on Wednesday, including five who were entombed along with three vehicles, police said.

The government has charged a local official in the area, Andal Ampatuan Jnr, with ordering and taking part in the killings. He surrendered to police Thursday and has been flown to Manila where he was detained.

On Friday Ampatuan Jnr was indicted of ordering his private militia of more than 100 gunmen to open fire on the group, which included relatives of rival Muslim politician, Esmael Mangudadatu, some journalists and passing motorists who had no known quarrel with the gunmen.

Ampatuan Jnr is a mayor in the southern Philippines who until this week was an ally of President Gloria Arroyo and a member of her ruling coalition.

Eight other members of the powerful Ampatuan clan have been invited for police questioning after witnesses also linked them to the killings.

The relatives and the journalists had been travelling to an election office to nominate Mangudadatu to run against Ampatuan Jnr for the post of provincial governor in next year's elections.

Malacañang will not order the relief and arrest of Datu Unsay town Mayor Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr. until cases are filed against him for his alleged involvement in the massacre of more than 50 people in Maguindanao province.

"We have due process to be observed also, so let us allow the investigators on the ground to come up with [a case] through their investigation," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde replied to Sonny Fernandez, National Union of Journalists (NUJP) in the Philippines secretary-general, during an interview over ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda on Wednesday.

Fernandez asked Remonde if Malacañang can immediately relieve Ampatuan Jr. from his post as mayor of Datu Unsay town while police are investigating his supposed involvement in the killings.

Remonde said the relief and arrest of Ampatuan Jr. will come only after the police have found sufficient evidence that would link him to the murder of more than 50 people in Ampatuan town.

The press secretary said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself has repeatedly assured the Mangudadatu family of impartial investigation. He added that Mrs. Arroyo is frequently in touch with the grieving family.

"It's a very big embarrassment not only to the government, but also to the entire nation," he said, stressing that the government will not rest until the people responsible in the massacre are charged and arrested.

As of Wednesday afternoon, authorities have recovered at least 50 bodies from the "burial" site of the massacre victims. Many of the victims were women who belong to the Mangudadatu clan.

Fernandez said that as of the NUJP's last count, there were 12 journalists included in the number of fatalities. He said they expect the number to increase to 20.

The journalists were supposed to cover the filing of the certificate of candidacy for governor of Genalyn Tiamzon-Mangudadatu on behalf of her husband, Buluan Vice-mayor Ismael Mangudadatu.

The vice-mayor said that he was able to talk with his wife over the phone before their group was massacred. In their conversation, she was able to identify Ampatuan Jr. as one of the attackers. He said Mrs. Mangudadatu told him that they were stopped by at least 100 armed men led by Ampatuan Jr..

Before their conversation was cut off, Ismael said his wife told him Ampatuan Jr. had slapped her.

On Tuesday, Jesus Dureza, Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Affairs, met with the Ampatuans, including Ampatuan Jr., and sought their cooperation in the investigation.

Dureza said he did not directly talk about the details of the case with the Ampatuans despite the account given by Vice-Mayor Mangudadatu.

The Mangudadatus believe the killings were politically motivated because the vice-mayor will oppose Ampatuan Jr. in the gubernatorial race in 2010.

'Disturbing, unusual treatment'

Commission on Human Rights chairperson Leila de Lima told radio dzMM that the government's "unsual treatment" of Ampatuan Jr. is disturbing.

De Lima said that at this stage and with the statement from the Mangudadatus, the police should have already invited Ampatuan Jr. for questioning or at least to get his side.

“I also observed that there is an unusual treatment. If you’re an ordinary suspect and there is a lead and information [of your supposed involvement] you will be immediately invited,” she said, adding that the government should heed to the public’s clamor of swift and decisive action against the killers and the masterminds in the massacre.

She added that Dureza’s meeting with the supposed primary suspect in the brutal killings was also unusual.

She said suspects should be invited to present themselves to the police to explain their side, not visited.

“Go to our precinct. Explain your side, execute a statement if you want to. But to be visited just get an assurance [of your cooperation]?” De Lima said.

De Lima also questioned the police’s “less than decisive action.”

She urged the police to provide the public with the details of their manhunt operations.

“What is the progress or the status of the manhunt? Who are they running after and where? These are the questions that have yet to be answered [by the police],” the CHR chief said.

‘Unpreserved crime scene’

De Lima said the CHR’s sub-office in Cotabato City has been closely monitoring the conduct of the conduct of the police’s investigation.

She said the CHR central office is also sending a team to Maguindanao to augment its sub-office team.

De Lima said that one of the most glaring of the observations that the sub-office team has reported to her is the police’s failure to preserve the crime scene.

She said the people seen in news footage digging up the “burial site” were actually relatives of the victims.

She said the police’s crime scene investigating team should not have allowed civilians step on the scene of the crime.

“You might not find anything, the area has been disturbed,” she said, adding that the Philippine National Police has not sent its national crime scene investigators’ team to the Maguindanao to handle the high-profile case.

She said she received information that the digging operations at the burial site will resume on Wednesday. Police were still looking for two vehicles -- a Toyota Tamaraw FX and Toyota Vios -- that were buried along with the bodies of the victims, she said.

She said the Toyota Tamaraw FX’s occupant was a son of a councilor of Bulan town who was just “at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

She said the vehicle’s occupant was not included in the Mangudadatus’ convoy and was just travelling to Cotabato City at the time of the ambush.

Raped?

De Lima added that they have information that the wife of Vice-Mayor Mangudadatu could have also been raped before being killed.

She said she received information that the wife’s private part was exposed and had a bullet wound.

The other women’s pants were also pulled down, she said, indicating that they could have also been raped by the killers.

The Mangudadatu family has requested for the involvement of the CHR in the investigation.

The family has also requested authorities for a “comprehensive” autopsy of the victims’ bodies due to suspicions of rape.

Thousands of strange creatures found deep in ocean

The creatures living in the depths of the ocean are as weird and outlandish as the creations in a Dr. Seuss book: tentacled transparent sea cucumbers, primitive "dumbos" that flap ear-like fins, and tubeworms that feed on oil deposits.

A report released Sunday recorded 17,650 species living below 656 feet, the point where sunlight ceases. The findings were the latest update on a 10-year census of marine life.

"Parts of the deep sea that we assumed were homogenous are actually quite complex," said Robert S. Carney, an oceanographer at Louisiana State University and a lead researcher on the deep seas.

Thousands of marine species eke out an existence in the ocean's pitch-black depths by feeding on the snowlike decaying matter that cascades down — even sunken whale bones. Oil and methane also are an energy source for the bottom-dwellers, the report said.

The researchers have found about 5,600 new species on top of the 230,000 known. They hope to add several thousand more by October 2010, when the census will be done.

The scientists say they could announce that a million or more species remain unknown. On land, biologists have catalogued about 1.5 million plants and animals.

They say they've found 5,722 species living in the extreme ocean depths, waters deeper than 3,280 feet.

"The deep sea was considered a desert until not so long ago; it's quite amazing to have documented close to 20,000 forms of life in a zone that was thought to be barren," said Jesse Ausubel with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a sponsor of the census. "The deep sea is the least explored environment on earth."

More than 40 new species of coral were documented on deep-sea mountains, along with cities of brittlestars and anemone gardens. Nearly 500 new species ranging from single-celled creatures to large squid were charted in the abyssal plains and basins.

Also of importance were the 170 new species that get their energy from chemicals spewing from ocean-bottom vents and seeps. Among them was a family of "yeti crabs," which have silky, hairlike filaments on the legs.

In the mid-Atlantic, researchers found 40 new species and 1,000 in all, said Odd Aksel Bergstad, an oceanographer with the University of Bergen in Norway who was reached by telephone in the Azores islands.

"It was a surprise to me to find such rich communities in the middle of the ocean," he said. "There were not even good maps for the area. Our understanding of the biodiversity there was very weak."

More than 2,000 scientists from 80 countries are working to catalog the oceans' species.

Researching the abyss has been costly and difficult because it involved deep-towed cameras, sonar and remotely operated vehicles that cost $50,000 a day to operate.

Brazil's Larissa Ramos was crowned 2009 Miss Earth during the coronation night at The Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center on Boracay Island Sunday night, besting 79 other beauties from around the world.

Ramos succeeded 2008 Miss Earth Karla Paula Henry from the Philippines.

The Philippines' Sandra Seifert was named Miss Air (1st Runner-up), Venezuela's Jessica Barboza was hailed Miss Water (2nd Runner-up), and Alejandra Echevarria of Spain got the title Miss Fire (3rd Runner-up).

For this year's final round, the final 8 candidates from Brazil, Philippines, Venezuela, Spain, Colombia (Alejandra Castillo Múnera), Martinique (Pascale Nelide), Poland (Izabela Wilczek) and Thailand (Rujinan Phanseethum) were asked to pick photos that represented international issues about the planet.

Each candidate was given 30 seconds to express her thoughts on a particular environmental subject.

Ramos chose the photos showing the problem of air pollution. She stated: "I come from a country that has the largest rainforest in the world. It is also known as the lungs of the world -- Brazil. But we cannot just say that we are the lungs of the world because my country also produces a lot of air pollution as well."

Miss Earth is considered one of the 3 largest beauty pageants in the world.

What makes the beauty competition unique though is that the participants themselves are involved in environmental causes, with the titleholder dedicating her yearlong reign to promote environmental projects and address issues concerning the environment.

The 2009 coronation night was hosted by television personality and host Marc Nelson, model Borgy Manotoc and former VJ Sarah Meier.

'New Moon' breaks boxoffice Record!

Summit Entertainment’s vampire-romance sequel “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” rung up a record $72.7 million in opening-day boxoffice on Friday, easily topping domestic rankings.

That bested a previous single-day boxoffice mark of $67.2 million, set by Warner Bros.’ Batman sequel “The Dark Knight” in July 2008.The first-day tally for “New Moon” included $26.3 million in boxoffice from a total 3,514 performances at12:01 a.m. Friday, which set a record for witching-hour coin.

Consensus pre-release forecasts put the likely first-weekend tally for “New Moon” at $85 million-plus. Not even a meteoric burnout on Saturday and Sunday would keep the largely female-fueled film from soaring well past those projections.

“Dark Knight” holds the record for the biggest opening ever, at $158.4 million. Whether “New Moon” – which is playing in more than 4,024 locations this weekend – will hold up well enough in its second and third days of release to approach that record is virtually unknowable, as the sequel is traveling into uncharted territory for the franchise.

American promoter Bob Arum charged that Floyd Mayweather Jr. is scared to fight Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, who could ruin his unbeaten ring record of 40 victories.

The 32-year-old American was undoubtedly the pound-for-pound king before his retirement but Pacquiao’s continued success as he rises up the weights now has him firmly in the argument with opinion now split on who is the better fighter.

Mayweather insisted he was the better man earlier this week, and he said Pacquiao was afraid to face him.

“You have to understand Mayweather’s psyche. Psychologically he may not be prepared to do this fight,” said Arum in an interview with Planet-f1.com.

“Now this is me being an amateur psychologist, but Mayweather is so tied up with the fact that nobody has beaten him, that he has a zero on his record, I don’t know if he would be willing to go into the ring with anybody that could jeopardize that zero.”

“He is afraid, terrified of losing that zero,” he added. “That’s why he’s ducked (Shane) Mosley, (Antonio) Margarito and (Miguel) Cotto, and the question is will he duck Manny Pacquiao because he’s so afraid of losing that zero.”

Arum’s goading is aimed at getting Mayweather into the ring, and American TV executives believe a super fight at welterweight next May is on the cards.

For his part, Pacquiao told Mayweather that he should be the one challenging for a fight.

“We are not pushing the fight. He should be the first to challenge me, after all I got a higher pay-per-view from my fight,” Pacquiao said.

This was in response to Mayweather’s call a couple of days ago that if the Filipino icon wants to fight him, Pacquiao just needs to “step to the plate.”

Regardless of who challenges who, the fight must surely go ahead with the expected huge revenue if nothing else forcing the two men to get into the ring together.

Pacquiao now a Datu

President Arroyo Friday conferred the Order of Sikatuna, with a rank of Datu, on Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao in recognition of his unequivocable contribution in putting the Philippines in the international radar screen, particularly in the field of boxing.

In welcoming the People's Champ who just arrived Friday from his victorious welterweight bout, Mrs. Arroyo accorded him the national order of diplomatic merit.

The simple awarding ceremony was held in Luneta Park in Manila where hundreds of people from different walks of life flocked to be one with Pacquaio's victory.

The recent recipient of such award was United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who visited the country last week. Mrs. Arroyo also conferred the award to late Manila Archbishop Cardinal Sin, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon; several foreign diplomats, including former United States Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone.

The President, who had earlier named Pacquiao as the country's envoy for peace and national unity, was supposed to provide hero's welcome for Pacquiao, but decided to honor him in a ceremony in Luneta, instead.

Malacanang said the seventh victory of Pacquiao in the boxing world should prod the Guinness Book of World Records to automatically include the Filipino boxing icon, in their roster.

Pacquiao, the newly crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion, and his entourage led by wife Jinkee arrived in Manila early Friday morning after another jubilant win over Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico in Las Vegas.

Fans cheered the boxing icon's arrival and shared in celebrating Pacquiao's feat as the first-ever seven division champion in boxing after a 14-year boxing career that started as a 108-pound fighter and climbed to 145-pound.

Aside from Jinkee, Pacquiao was in the company of his parents Dionisia and Rosalio, his good friend Deputy National Security Adviser Chavit Singson and other members of his training team when he planed in at 5:30 a.m. Friday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2.

Saranggani or party-list?

Meanwhile, Pacquiao will definitely try his luck in politics in 2010. However, he is still undecided on whether to seek a seat in the Congress as representative of Saranggani province or as a nominee of a party-list group.

Manny Pacquiao comes home today to a nation proud of what he has achieved, being the greatest fighter of the era with record seven world titles in seven different weight classes.

Pacquiao boarded a Philippine Airlines plane that took off at the Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday evening (LA time) and should arrive in Manila at around 5 a.m.

Pacquiao traveled with his wife, Jinkee, and an entourage made up of family members and friends in politics and show business.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Harry Angping was tapped by President Arroyo to head the welcoming committee, and the former Manila congressman has made sure it’s something big.

From the airport, Pacquiao will be brought to the Renaissance Hotel for a brief rest. Then he proceeds to the Quiapo Church for a Thanksgiving Mass, then to the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) office to pay a courtesy call on the DENR Secretary Lito Atienza, whom he looks up to as his second father.

As a tradition, a hero’s motorcade will begin at 10 a.m. from the DENR that will go around Metro Manila’s major thoroughfares as a fitting tribute to Pacquiao whom Atienza says “has proven time and again that we, Filipinos, have what it takes to be on top.

GMA-7 has also lined up a victory party for the Filipino icon at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

At 3 p.m., Pacquiao will proceed to the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta where President Arroyo will confer another award to the 30-year-old boxer whose ring exploits have put the Philippines on the center of the map.

Angping said the Luneta event, dubbed “Parangal kay Manny sa Luneta,” is open to the public. He called on all Pacquiao fans to join in the celebration.

In the past, Pacquiao met the President in Malacañang on the day of his arrival, but Angping said holding it in Luneta will give the people the chance to be closer to the champion.

Senator Loren Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) formally accepted Tuesday the offer to be Senator Manny Villar’s running mate in the 2010 elections.

NPC spokesperson and Valenzuela Representative Rex Gatchalian, however, clarified that Legarda is still a member of NPC despite running under Villar’s Nacionalista Party (NP).

He said Legarda's union with Villar underwent consultations among members of the NPC but plan of merging the two parties has not been considered.

Some NPC members have already expressed their support to Legarda; however, the party has yet to come up with a consensus as to the ground of supporting Villar.

Gatchalian said NP is privileged to have Legarda as their vice presidential candidate because she has brought more supporting groups behind her.

Villar and Legarda stressed that their union is not a result of a political expediency but because they share similar advocacies and visions for the nation.

Legarda said that she and Villar both came from a modest and humble beginning and they are both dedicated to address issues on poverty, employment, education and climate change.

The peace process in Mindanao and the basic social benefits of the Filipinos are also part of their platform.

The tandem used to have opposing stands in the Senate, but in the end, the two decided to collaborate on the notion to “eradicate poverty in the country and conserving the environment.”

Poverty, as Villar said, "has negative effects for the environment.”

Legarda, on the issue of the tandem’s opposing beliefs, said she doesn't walk away from her words and what she stood in the Senate is an expression of speech given that the law provides it.

She cited the similarity of her experience with running mate Villar as that of Obama and Clinton who surpassed the issue and successfully led the US to be stronger nation.

Villar also laid his and Legarda’s platform that introduced a new kind of governance, politics and leadership that will transform the country and reward the best and the brightest.

Political analysts said the Villar-Legarda tandem can be bothersome to the decision making of both parties since Legarda accepted the invitation as a guest candidate for NP.

Presidential aspirant Senator Manuel Villar has finally found a running mate in the 2010 elections.

Now calling herself as Villar’s “other half” in seeking change, Senator Loren Legarda announced Tuesday she will vie for the country’s second highest post to initiate a change in governance.

“We believe we can make a difference in the lives of Filipinos. That is why today, in declaring my intention to vie for vice presidency in May 2010, I offer myself to the Filipino people as other half to the tandem that seeks a new beginning for the Filipino nation,” Legarda said.

“In this afternoon, on this glorious afternoon, I cast my lot with Manny Villar.
I believe our partnership will ensure a new beginning for all the Filipino people,” she added.

Legarda who belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition made the announcement at Nacionalista Party’s headquarters, the old Laurel house in Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong.

For his part, Villar said the partnership was not politics-driven but was motivated by “a common vision for the country.”

Legarda was all-praise for her running mate, calling him “my president” and lauding his achievements, specifically his remarkable rise from a poor boy to becoming one of the country’s real estate magnates.

“I cite all these…only to underscore the fact that Manny Villar and I have worked hard to be where we are now. Manny and l have experienced the same hardships in life,” said Legarda who was a media practitioner before becoming a senator in 1998.

Legarda ran for vice president in 2004 but lost to another broadcaster, now Vice President Noli De Castro. She accused De Castro of cheating in 2004.

*from yahoo*

PACMAN WINS

In an amazing, violent fight, Manny Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 KOs) stopped WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) in round twelve to win another world title in an unprecedented seventh weight division on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Both fighters were on the attack from the opening bell. Pacman dropped Cotto with a right hook in round three. Cotto dominated round four, but was dropped by a left uppercut at the end of the round. Cotto fought courageously but was rocked again in the sixth by Pacman’s hurtful shots coming in from all angles. Cotto began to box from the outside in the seventh with some success. However, Pacquiao continued to stalk him and break him down. Cotto was in survival mode down the stretch. Referee Kenny Bayless finally waved in off in round twelve. Time was :55.

PACMAN VS COTTO UPDATES

Two of the sport's premier attractions, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and Miguel "Junito" Cotto, will square off in a special 145-pound catch-weight bout before a packed house at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and an HBO pay-per-view television audience on Nov. 14 in which boxing betting fans will have dozens of wagering options.

Pacquiao (49-3-2, 37 knockouts), opened as the -240 favorite (bet $240 to win $100), not much of a surprise given the Filipino's most recent efforts, a second round KO of Ricky Hatton in May and a stoppage of Oscar De La Hoya in December of 2008. Pacquiao has won six world titles in as many different weight divisions ranging from 112 to 140 pounds.

Cotto (34-1, 27 KOs) opened as the +190 underdog (bet $100 to win $190), an unfamiliar role for the Puerto Rican, who has held a world title every year since 2004. Cotto's only setback, an 11th round TKO at the fists of Antonio Margarito in July of 2008, may lack legitimacy, given Margarito's suspension for using illegal hand wraps against Shane Mosley in his next fight. Cotto rebounded from that questionable loss with wins over Michael Jennings (Feb.) and Joshua Clottey (June) to set up the showdown with Pacquiao.