By Gil C. Cabacungan, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Senatorial candidates are seeking “command votes” and visiting vote-rich provinces in the final week of the campaign to gain the support of the still significant number of voters who have yet to decide whom to vote for.

Reelectionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) said the battle for command votes from big religious and civic groups, and influential local politicians would be the theme this week.

By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star)

Despite persistent concerns about possible mechanical glitches and violence, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday all is set for the midterm polls on May 13.

“Everything that happened in 2010, we have already solved these problems. All the things critics have been saying have been addressed,” Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said yesterday.

By Manila Times

Malacañang expects the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to resolve the glitches encountered during the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines last week before May 13.

On Thursday, several glitches were noted during the FTS in Pasay City, including the malfunctioning of one machine at the P. Villanueva Elementary School. There was also one instance wherein one machine recognized an unshaded circle marked with an “x” by the voter.

By Renee Avena Fopalan, GMA News

The PBA All-Star selection saw their eight-point lead disappear in the final two minutes, as Jeff Chan knocked in the game-tying three with 0.6 seconds, remaining to end their exhibition against the Gilas Pilipinas national squad in a tie, 124-124, on Sunday in Digos City, Davao Del Sur.

An Arwind Santos high-looper welcomed the last two minutes, putting the PBA selection ahead, 118-110. Gilas milked the line for four, but Beau Belga took two of his own to make it a six-point game.

By Joey Villar, The Philippine Star

"Beat China." This was the advice given by former NBA star Yao Ming to the Philippine national basketball team, Smart Gilas Pilipinas, seeking an end to the decades-long World Championship and Olympic drought.

Yao made the statement at the press conference on Philippines-China Friendship Games on Sunday at the Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Hotel and Casino near the Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City.

By RAF, GMA News

Floyd Mayweather kept his record immaculate on Sunday after defeating Robert Guerrero at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was a clinical finish for Mayweather, who peppered Guerrero with right hands, resulting to a cut above the latter's right eye after eight rounds. In the end, it was a unanimous decision for Mayweather, who remained undefeated after 44 bouts. All three judges,Julie Lederman, Duane Ford and Jerry Roth, scored it 117-111 for Mayweather.

By Edu Punay (The Philippine Star)

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is dropping former police senior superintendent Cezar Mancao II from the Witness Protection Program (WPP) following his escape from detention at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) last Thursday.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she will sign today the order terminating Mancao from WPP as prosecution witness in the November 2000 murders of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito.

By Andreo Calonzo /LBG, GMA News

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said the decision of China's new foreign minister not to visit the Philippines in his Southeast Asia tour is a prerogative.

In a text message, DFA chief Albert del Rosario said his office has “not given a second thought” to newly-appointed Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi's choice of countries in the region to visit.

By LBG, GMA News

Malacañang is treading softly on allegations by Malaysian opposition leaders that Filipino flying voters were being brought to Malaysia to engage in electoral fraud there.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on state-run dzRB, “As to the claim (of Filipino flying voters), that is something that can be checked out. (But) at this point we don’t want to comment. That involves internal politics in a neighboring country.”

By Charlie V. Manalo, Tribune

Almost a week before election day, violence reared its ugly head in the hotly-contested Manila political arena as a campaign rally of former President and now Manila mayoralty candidate Joseph “Erap” Estrada was marred by movie-like violence and stampede after unidentified men threw empty bottles and rocks at an open stage in the Sampaloc district while United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) local candidates are giving their speeches.

The attack injured one of the UNA candidates, District 4 Councilor Jocelyn Quintos, and two supporters in an incident the Estrada camp said highlighted months of harassments inflicted on UNA candidates and followers.

By Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

Remember police Supt. Glenn Dumlao? He is the police regional official who authorized “Coplan Armado,” the operation that left 13 people dead in Atimonan town, Quezon province, in January. He is still in the service and he thinks fugitive former police Senior Supt. Cezar Mancao II has nothing to fear from Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

Mancao, a suspect in the 2000 murders of public relations agent Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito, escaped from his cell at the National Bureau of Investigation headquarters in Manila early Thursday to avoid being killed after his court-ordered transfer to the Manila City Jail, in a plan that he said was brainstormed by Lacson.

By RITCHIE A. HORARIO, Manila Times

The Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo on Sunday accused the Malaysian government of harassing Filipinos in Sabah to compel them to vote for Malaysian administration candidates.

Abraham Idjirani, the Sultanate’s spokesman and secretary-general, said that they received information that Filipinos, who are registered voters in Sabah, were being pressed to vote for United Malays National Organization (UMNO) candidates.

By AFP

Joakim Noah scored 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) to lead the injury-ravaged Chicago Bulls to a 99-93 victory over the Brooklyn Nets and into the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Facing a do-or-die seventh game, Noah asserted himself in every facet of the contest, connecting on 12-of-17 shots from the field and also blocking six shots.

By ABS-CBNnews.com

The grandmother of Charice admitted she is hurt, as she appealed to the singer to revert to her old image. In an exclusive interview with “The Buzz” that aired on Sunday, Tess Relicio said she does not approve of her granddaughter's latest style.

“Pinalaki ko siya. Tatanungin nila ako, ‘Nanay, bakit po ganun ang itsura ng apo niyo ngayon?’ Gusto ko umiyak. Masakit. Nahihiya rin ako. Hindi ko ikinakahiya ang pagkatao ng apo ko. Ang nahihiya ako doon sa bakit nagkaganyan siya. Ibalik lang niya ang dati,” she said.

By ABS-CBNnews.com

An emotional Gretchen Barretto refuses to fight back despite the accusations made against her by her own mother Inday and older sister Gia. Speaking live on “The Buzz” on Sunday, the socialite-actress said she’d rather not talk about the ongoing feud involving her family because it is fight that’s supposed to be solved privately.

“Hindi madali ang pinagdadaanan ko ngayon. Hindi madali na pinag-uusapan ka ng buong Pilipinas. Hindi madaling pakinggan 'yung pinagdaanan ko, 'yung childhood ko. [Pero] away pamilya ito, hindi dapat isapubliko,” she said.

by Arniel C. Serato, PEP

Tilian nang tilian ang audience nang umakyat na ng stage si Gerald Anderson matapos ang dance production number ni Maja Salvador kaninang tanghali, May 5, sa ASAP 18, kung saan nag-celebrate si Maja ng kanyang 10th anniversary sa showbiz.

Nagbiro pa si Gerald sa napapabalitang girlfriend nito na kasing-taas ng dalaga ang ibinigay niyang bouquet of flowers. Mensahe niya kay Maja, “Happy anniversary sa ‘yo. Deserved mo lahat ng blessings na mayroon ka... lahat ng fans mo. Napakabait mo sa pamilya mo, sa akin, kaya deserved mo lahat iyan.”

By Nancy C. Carvajal, Philippine Daily Inquirer

National Bureau of Investigation agents have been scouring eastern Metro Manila for two days but have found no trace of the slippery fugitive Cezar Mancao II, though he has made himself available for TV, radio and print interviews.

The manhunt for the escaped suspect in the Dacer-Corbito murders took the agents on Thursday and Friday to Green Acres subdivision in Cainta, Ever Gotesco Mall on Ortigas Extension, Madison Square in Greenhills, Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong City, Le Gran Hotel in San Juan City and places along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo.