Nicanor Jesus “Nicky” Pineda Perlas III is a Filipino activist and a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize”) in 2003. Currently, he is also a Philippine presidential aspirant for the 2010 presidential elections.
MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Vowing to take the fight outside the country’s financial district, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay announced his bid for the presidency on Tuesday as he marked his 66th birthday in city hall.
More than 2,000 supporters from the city and the provinces carrying streamers like “Obama of the Philippines” and “Jojo Binay for President” gathered at 7 a.m. for a Thanksgiving Mass as they waited for the mayor to make the declaration.
In his speech, Binay, who is also the United Opposition president, criticized the Arroyo government by bringing up issues like the national broadband network scandal and the fertilizer fund scam and said there was need for another “revolution.”
THE SUSPENSION order against Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and other city officials was condemned “in the strongest terms” and branded as “illegal” by the opposition on Tuesday as allies of the embattled local executive rushed to his side at the Makati City Hall where he has holed out.
The DILG served the 60-day suspension order against Binay, Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado and 16 councilors earlier in the day over charges they kept so-called “ghost employees.”
Binay has denied the accusation.
Former president Corazon Aquino, a close friend of Binay, went to the Makati City Hall to show her support for the mayor and urged everyone to “pray for justice.”
