Ex-Philippine president wins as mayor of Manila

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Former President Joseph Estrada was proclaimed Tuesday as the new mayor of the Philippine capital, his first elected post since he was ousted in an anti-corruption revolt 12 years ago.

In other partial results from Monday's congressional and local elections, nine senatorial candidates backed by President Benigno Aquino III took an early lead against three candidates backed by an opposition coalition. About half the votes have been reported so far, and if the trend continues, the wins will ensure congressional support for Aquino's remaining three years in office.

Estrada, 76, capitalized on his movie-star popularity, particularly among the poor, and promised to reverse urban decay of the historic city along Manila Bay. The capital was once a lively tourist spot, but the streets have become neglected and many residents complain of crime.

"I have no other desire in the final years of my life than to offer my experience in public service, to give everything I can to uplift the poor," he told supporters after he was proclaimed at a stadium.

Estrada, popularly known as Erap, had served for nearly 20 years as mayor of nearby San Juan city, senator and vice president. Landing second in the 2010 presidential election, he could use his new position as a springboard for another shot at the presidency after his first term was cut short by the 2001 revolt. He was later convicted of corruption then pardoned.

"Manila has been left behind by its neighbors. We will revive the vigor of Manila that we can be proud of," Estrada said.

He defeated incumbent Mayor Alfredo Lim, a white-haired 83-year-old former Manila police chief who once served in his Cabinet as interior secretary. Under Lim's watch, eight Hong Kong tourists were killed by a hostage-taker in 2010 in a bungled police rescue. An investigation found him liable and negligent.

As proof that political dynasties and familiar names continue to monopolize political life in the Philippines, Imelda Marcos, 83, won her second consecutive term as congresswoman of Ilocos Norte province. Daughter Imee ran unopposed and was re-elected governor.

Estrada's son JV Ejercito was among the top 12 vote-getters in the senatorial race, according to early results, and if elected, would join his half-brother who is already a senator. Others leading in the vote-count include Aquino's cousin, Benigno "Bam" Aquino. Out of the dozen, only four did not belong to dominant elite political families.

Elections Commission Chairman Sixto Brillantes said he expects turnout of 70 percent out of more than 52 million registered voters. He said that most, if not all, of the 12 winners who contested half the 24 Senate seats will be proclaimed by late Wednesday.

The Aquino administration is confident they will maintain the majority in the House of Representatives and the focus of the electoral battle was on the Senate, traditionally a springboard for the presidency, said Ramon Casiple, head of the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform.

"The implication of a Senate that is his ally is that he will have the needed support for his policies and programs," Casiple said. "Definitely he will not be a lame duck for the next three years because of that, much more if he maintains his popularity. This means they will be more in a position to contest the 2016 presidential elections on a more stable foundation."

___

Associated Press writers Hrvoje Hranjski and Jim Gomez contributed to this report.

Follow Oliver Teves on Twitter at https://twitter.com/seveto

View the original article here

Women's shelter boss, mayor vouch for Mike Tyson

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Who can Mike Tyson turn to for a character reference? The mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey, for one, and the leader of Nevada's largest shelter for battered women, for another.

Their letters of support were among those sent last year to New Zealand immigration authorities considering the visa application he made to travel Down Under. They were among hundreds of pages of documents from New Zealand and Australia released last week and earlier to the Associated Press under those countries' public records laws.

In the end, the Australians concluded the former boxing champion and convicted rapist failed their character test — but they decided to let him come tell his story anyway in five November shows. New Zealand denied him a visa.np

In the U.S., Tyson's show "Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth," ended a 10-week tour spring Sunday after a run on Broadway. The show has garnered critical praise for its candor, although Tyson remains a divisive figure in popular culture.

Tyson has traveled abroad extensively, including to Europe and South America. New Zealand had initially decided to let him in as well, but changed its mind when a children's charity that was supposed to benefit from Tyson's visit said it didn't want any money from his tour.

Tyson served six years in prison for a 1991 rape. He said in his New Zealand visa application that he was not guilty of that crime, but was responsible for several subsequent arrests. He wrote that he had abused drugs and alcohol through much of his adult life but had been clean and sober for more than three and a half years.

Included in Tyson's New Zealand visa application was a character reference for him and his wife, Lakiha, written by Marlene Richter, the executive director of Las Vegas-based women's shelter The Shade Tree.

Richter said the shelter's children "loved seeing Mike Tyson" last June when the Tysons rented an ice cream truck and handed out Popsicles and cones to more than 300 women and children.

In an interview last week, Richter said she faced an ethical dilemma about whether to allow Tyson to support the shelter, given his violent criminal past.

She said she was impressed by the way he seemed dedicated to the children and followed through with promises. The Tysons later auctioned fight memorabilia, she said, raising about $20,000 for the shelter.

"I don't know if he's 100 percent changed," Richter said. "But I felt he was trying."

Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford also gave Tyson a character reference, mentioning his notoriety but saying he had helped make the resort city the center for boxing on the East Coast. He wrote that the city was "ever so grateful to him and his dedicated efforts on our behalf."

In Australia, officials concluded Tyson failed that country's character test because of his criminal convictions. They looped in the immigration minister, who let Tom Wodak, the immigration department's principal character decision-maker, have the final say.

"All indications are that Mr. Tyson has rehabilitated," Wodak wrote in an email to staff approving Tyson's visa. Wodak added that the short duration of his trip and the fact his family would be accompanying him "all point to the likelihood of an incident-free visit, and thus to a risk of further offending that is not unacceptable."

During his Australian "Day of the Champions" tour, Tyson appeared in five cities without incident, except for some fans who complained that they had paid extra to meet him in person and had left disappointed.

View the original article here

Mali mayor accused of drug trafficking arrested

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Authorities have arrested a mayor in northeastern Mali on drug trafficking charges three years after a plane full of cocaine landed near his town, officials said Thursday.

Baba Ould Cheick was taken into custody Wednesday morning, according to Alassane S. Toure, who headed the operation.

"We asked the headquarters in Gao to take all necessary measures to transfer him to Bamako as quickly as possible before locals could intervene," Toure told The Associated Press.

Toure didn't provide details about the allegations against Cheick other than to say that there had been a warrant out for his arrest.

Cheick is the mayor of Tarkint, a small village located about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the town of Gao.

In November 2009, a Boeing 727-200 that was believed to be coming from Venezuela landed near Tarkint carrying at least five tons of cocaine aboard.

Officials have identified the Gao region in northeastern Mali as a drug trafficking hub in West Africa.

Many of the trafficking operations, though, have been dislodged by the French-led military intervention to oust radical Islamic fighters who controlled the town of Gao until January.

In 2008, Malian officials seized 750 kilograms (1,650 pounds) of ingredients used to make cocaine, following a nine-hour gunbattle with the suspected drug traffickers.

That operation occurred in the town of Achiboro, located 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) northeast of Mali's capital, Bamako.

View the original article here