A PARTY-LESS legislator said on Wednesday that the 2010 presidential elections should not be limited to “political bosses” even as he raised the need to democratize the selection process this early just like in the United States.

                “I believe there is a need to democratize the selection process instead of leaving it to the political bosses to decide. The US system is a good model where presidential aspirants come out early and go through a tough winnowing process wherein the people and media can scrutinize the aspirants’ character,” said Independent Rep. Roilo Golez of Parañaque.

                Although acknowledging that the Senate is an excellent source of national leaders, Golez said there is a need to broaden the field.

                “With a nation of almost 90 million, we should not limit our choices this early to only eight or 10 high-profile personalities,” Golez said.

                In the US, he said, the Democrats and the Republicans will have their party conventions in August to select their standard bearers, three months before the November elections.

                Golez said that in the Philippines, there is plenty of time because its still two and half years before the May 2010 elections.

                “Let’s devote this year 2008 to the winnowing process and encourage personages of character and competence to come out and join. Then let’s devote 2009 to the final process where eight to 10 aspirants can fight it out in the party conventions that should be held around six months before May 2010,” Golez said.

                In the 2008 winnowing process, the media and major schools and cities and towns can sponsor public debates and candidates forums where they would be given the opportunity to articulate in very concise, brief manner their views on the economy, national security, public order, industry, energy, education, health, environment, good government, taxation and others, Golez said.

                Besides the political giants, the entry of Mayor Jejomar Binay of Makati, Mayor Feliciano Belmonte of Quezon City; Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City and Mayor Edward Hagedorn of Palawan should be welcomed, he said.

                Golez said Mayor Alfredo Lim of Manila can try again. Golez also said Govs. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga, Gwen Garcia of Cebu and Joey Salceda of Albay could run because of their good potentials based on track record.

                Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., should make another bid, Golez said.

                He said there are “good materials” at the House of Representatives naming among others Lakas Rep. Raul del Mar of Cebu City; Lakas Rep. Eric Singson of Ilocos Sur; Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu; Nationalist People’s Coalition Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella of Camarines Sur; Lakas Rep. Simeon Datumanong of Maguindanao; Lakas Rep. Arthur Defensor of Iloilo; Lakas Rep. Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong and Partido ng Masang Pilipino Rep. Ronaldo Zamora of San Juan.

                Golez said even militant legislators in the House such as Party-list Reps. Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna and Ana Theresa Hontiveros of Akbayan should be urged to come out.

                “The people deserve to have a broader field of choices. We should not rush but instead should slowly, methodically transition toward 2010,” Golez added.

Citizen’s debt audit commish pushed

RESPECTED economists, civil-society leaders and political analysts have launched the people’s petition for the creation of an Independent Citizens’ Debt Audit Commission that will conduct a critical, comprehensive, participatory and transparent examination of the Philippine public debt and contingent liabilities.

THERE should be an enabling law before the government can start implementing a national identification (ID) system, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita clarified Wednesday.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Two senior policemen were shot and killed while they were jogging on Wednesday morning on an airstrip near a military base in Sulu, where the offensive against the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf continues.

THE officer in charge of the Air Transportation Office (ATO) on Wednesday urged President Arroyo to sign a bill that creates the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap), giving autonomy to the aviation body so funds for a full radar coverage of the country could be made available.

MEDIATION talks to resolve the labor dispute between the Philippine National Construction Corp. (PNCC) and its employees’ union came to a deadlock as their representatives sat with labor department officials on Wednesday.

THE multisectoral advisory council of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to meet next week to iron out the specifications for the technology that will be used to automate the 2010 presidential elections, in a move to finally modernize the elections.

A PARTY-LESS legislator said on Wednesday that the 2010 presidential elections should not be limited to “political bosses” even as he raised the need to democratize the selection process this early just like in the United States.