MANILA, Philippines – A total of 20 candidates filed their
certificates of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec)
main office during the first day of filing Monday.
Of the 20 candidates, 10 were from the prominent parties expected to go neck in neck in the 2013 mid-term elections this May.
Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, who is part of the
administration’s ticket led by President Benigno Aquino III’s Liberal
Party, was the first candidate to file when the Comelec office opened at
8 a.m.
Eight of the senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist
Alliance (UNA) also filed their certificates of candidacy COCs and were
accompanied by the party’s Vice President Jejomar Binay, former
president Joseph Estrada, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.
Among those in UNA’s senatorial slate who filed their COC at the
Comelec were reelectionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan, Representatives JV
Ejercito, Jackie Ponce Enrile and Milagros Magsaysay; former senators
Ernesto Maceda, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Richard Gordon; and former Tarlac
Governor Margarita “Tingting’’ Cojuangco.
UNA is a merger of Binay’s PDP-Laban party and Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.
Senator Loren Legarda, who is running as a guest candidate for
both the LP and UNA, opted to file her candidacy at a later time, saying
she chose the time 3:50 pm because she believed it would give her good
luck.
Successful first day, ruled by ‘colorful candidates’
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, in an
interview with reporters, said that it was a successful first day,
saying that that they were expecting about 50 applications for the
duration of five days and that “we’re almost half and it’s only been one
day and there are four days left.”
“Those who filed today were mostly the
people we expect to run for the elections. The number swelled with the
entry of the ‘colorful candidates,’” Jimenez said.
Indeed, the so-called ‘color candidates’
ruled the first day, as the senatorial aspirants made somewhat bizarre
and unbelievable claims.
Notable among them was the 55-year old
Salam Lacan Luisong Tagean, who claimed that he was the legitimate heir
to the Philippines.
He said his family was of royal blood and
that if he becomes senator, he would make sure that he would provide
land for the landless.
Daniel Magtira, 52-year old, also made
implausible claims, saying in his COC that he was the husband of “Kris
Aquino,” was nominated by former first lady Imelda Marcos, and was a
past worker of “Talentadong Pinoy.”
Dismayed over premature campaigning
“The day has been very successful with the
exception probably of the number of people outside and the volume of the
activities outside,” Jimenez said when asked to give an assessment.
When asked about Comelec chairman’s Sixto
Brillantes Jr., earlier expression of dismay over the seemingly circus
atmosphere that characterized the activities outside the Comelec office,
Jimenez said that they had always thought of the activities as
“premature campaigning” and that it was “something that we frown upon.”
“Ultimately nandyan na yan and hindi naman
talaga pinagbabawal. Ang apila lang sana eh tigilan na, nagawa na so
tama na okay na and let’s not do this longer than necessary,” Jimenez
said.
The candidates’ supporters trooped to the
Comelec early Monday and staged various programs and activities for
their candidates, which included marching bands playing loud tunes and
supporters wearing t-shirts and carrying placards for their candidates.
List of other candidates based on their COCs
Anicio Escosura (40-year-old businessman from Rizal)
Aeric Bernardino (47-year old civil engineer from Caloocan)
Melcor Chavez (61-year-old broadcast journalist from Bataan)
Patrocinio Cailing (59-year-old freelance accountant from Caloocan City)
Juanito Donato (67-year-old retired professor from Mandaluyong City)
Oliver Lozano (72-year old lawyer from Quezon City)
Merlito Lagata (68-year old retired Philippine marines from Sorsogon)
Remelyn Agel (31-year old midwife from San Pablo)
Monday, October 1, 2012
20 file COCs; ‘colorful’ bets rule 1st day
6:54 AM