Erap, Noynoy skip presidential forum

Citing conflicts in schedules, leading presidential contender Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and former president Joseph Estrada did not show up at a presidential forum attended by several ambassadors on Thursday. Only former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party), and Sen. Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan) participated in the policy debate organized by the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation for Peace and Development in cooperation with the ABS-CBN News Channel and the Asian Institute of Management. Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada, spokesperson of Aquino's Liberal Party, said the senator is currently in La Union "meeting with our candidates and volunteers." Estrada spokesperson Margaux Salcedo, meanwhile, said the former president is preparing for Manila mayoralty candidate Lito Atienza's announcement of his support for Estrada's candidacy. The event was scheduled 4 p.m. Thursday. The forum sought the presidential candidates' police responses on key issues such as the Maguindanao massacre and the peace issue in the south, Philippine foreign relations and international security, Philippine economy and international economic relations, migrant workers, and Philippine global competitiveness. - Johanna Camille Sisante/KBK, GMANews.TV