Questions the media should ask the Senatorial Candidates

To GO and TU:

1) Did you find the 2004 Presidential elections credible? If not, should Arroyo resign and her admin be made accountable, or should she finish her term?

2) We are the most corrupt country in Asia according to the recent PERC survey. Transparency International also listed us as one of the most corrupt in all of Asia. What are your plans to reduce corruption in RP? What are your thoughts on the corrupting influence of Pork Barrel politics?

3) We know that the COMELEC and the Military is suffering from low credibility because some of it's top officials were involved in dagdag bawas. So far, many of these officials remain in power (many were promoted) and none have been punished, including Garcillano. If you are elected senator, what are your plans to fix the COMELEC and depoliticize the Military? What are your plans to reduce cheating in the future?

4) According the the UN and other NGO groups, the military death squads are mainly responsible for the assassinations and murders targetting Leftist party listers. How do you intend to stop the violence and catch the perpetrators?

5) About the RP-US relations. Joker Arroyo recently commented that the US was meddling in RP affairs on the extra judicial killings issue. Do you agree? The Arroyo admin on the other hand, has been heavily dependent on US assistance and protection in exchange a military presence in Mindanao. Should we (especially Joker) call for the removal of US bases in Mindanao too?

6) On the economy, should we stay with the current policies of the admin, or change course? What are some of the things would you want to see done differently?

7) Enrile promised during his senatorial campaign in 2004 to pursue the lowering of the cost of electricity and punish the corrupt wheelers-and-dealers responsible for us having the second most expensive electricity in asia, behind Japan. Well, neither promises have been kept. We're still paying through our nose with the high electricity rates (with EVAT pa, which makes things even worse), and the corrupt people behind the anomalous IPP contracts remain free (thanks maam arroyo). If elected senator, what do you intend to do to hold those people behind the anomalous IPP deals responsible?

8) On our unemployment situation. The admin claims it has lowered unemployment significantly, but it used statistically trickery to make it happen. People are leaving in droves to find work abroad because they can't find a job here and because of the high cost of living. What should the gov't do to create more jobs here so that our kababayan have the option of not having to go overseas just to find work?