Action for Perlas

From John Stubley: 
hi all...if you are feeling energetic, you might also want to fill out the form on the ABC news australia website asking the editor to cover the nicanor perlas story in the philippines...again, feel free to use the email below, or write your own...
the online form can be found at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/contact/feedback.htm
cheeers from a very hot perth...john
SUBJECT: Presidential Elections in the Philippines
Dear Friends at ABC News.
I am writing to ask why you are not currently covering the presidential election process unfolding in the Philippines, especially the candidacy of Nicanor Perlas. In a time when environmental, sustainability and social issues are paramount, what is unfolding in the Philippines is surely of great interest to Australians and the rest of the world.
Perlas has been a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award (Alternative Nobel Prize) for his advocacy work on globalisation and sustainable development, as well as the UN Environmental Program’s Global 500 Award, The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Award, and, most recently, the Manuel L. Quezon Award for Exemplary Governance.
Perlas was a technical consultant of the United Nations’ Center for Transnational Corporations. He also served as consultant of the Presidential Committee on the Philippine Nuclear Power Plant and of the Philippine Council of Sustainable Development during the Aquino and Ramos administrations.
Comelec – the government-run commission on elections has recently disqualified him from running because they unjustly view him as a "nuisance candidate." He has filed an appeal which will be heard on December 28, and a decision will be made around January 5.
A global petition calling for him to be allowed to run was signed by over 1,200 people around the world in the three days before the appeal was filed. It has now been signed by over 1,700 people, some of whom are comparing Perlas to Nelson Mandela and Vaclav Havel. The petition can be viewed at: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/let-nick-run
Should you be interested in pursuing this story further, below you will find relevant contact details as well as a recent article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
 
Best wishes.
Phone numbers for the Comelec commissioners (phone numbers are for within Philippines):
Office of Chairman Jose Armando R. Melo 527-2771
Office of Comm. Rene V. Sarmiento 527-2767
Office of Comm. Nicodemo T. Ferrer 527-0836
Office of Comm. Armando C. Velasco 527-0834
Office of Comm. Lucenito N. Tagle 527-0829
Office of Comm. Elias R. Yusoph 521-1319
Office of Comm. Gregorio Y. Larrazabal 524-3711
Office of the Executive Director 527-2990
Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Administration (ODEDA) 527-2774 Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Operations (ODEDO) 527-2982
Office of the Secretary and Clerk of the Commission 527-2770
Email address of the Comelec Chairman Jose Armando R. Melo:
chairman@comelec.gov.ph
 
Contact details for Nicanor Perlas:
His PR person: Cecilia: kenshingurl@gmail.com
His PR person’s phone: Cecilia +639178997603 (cell) +6326345058 (home)
Web: www.nicanor-perlas.com
Here is a recent article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer (which can also be viewed online by clicking here):
Foreign support for Perlas bid
By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:11:00 12/26/2009
Filed Under: Politics, Elections
MANILA, Philippines - Over a thousand individuals from 44 countries have signed a petition condemning the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec’s) rejection of Nicanor Perlas’ certificate of candidacy (CoC) for president, claiming he lacked resources to launch a national campaign.
 
“This is a real blow to one of the most hopeful political developments on the planet today,” the petition said.
 
The signatories would be monitoring the Comelec’s moves on the case, it added.
Perlas is among the 99 presidential aspirants who were declared nuisance candidates by the Comelec last week. He has appealed his case.
 
According to the Perlas campaign, 1,290 individuals signed the petition, sending strong messages of support for Perlas, a former United Nations consultant and a civil society stalwart.
 
His global supporters said they supported him because of his credentials as an anti-poverty and pro-environment candidate. They also compared him to statesmen like Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Vaclav Havel of Czechoslovakia.
 
“Perlas is the winner of the Right Livelihood Award, also called the ‘alternative Nobel Prize,’ and is one of the best qualified candidates to lead a nation since Nelson Mandela or Vaclav Havel. An environmentalist and sustainability leader in politics, he is certainly the equal of Al Gore,” the petition said.
 
On Monday, Perlas filed a 48-page motion for reconsideration with the Comelec, stating that he has the resources and capacity to wage a national campaign for the presidency.
Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said the poll body would study the appeals of all aspirants they rejected last week.
 
Ferrer said they heard about Perlas’ support from local and foreign organizations. If he is able to prove this to the poll body, he could join the eight presidential candidates in next year’s election campaign, he said.