Election wannabes make it official
JOSEPH Estrada formally declared his desire to regain the presidency when he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) an hour before noon yesterday.
He was joined by running mate Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and the United Opposition senatorial line-up.
The lineup consists of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Agusan del Sur Rep. Ompong Plaza, former Negros Occidental Rep. Apolinario "Jun" Lozada, Sanlakas Rep. JV Bautista and NBN-ZTE whistleblower Joey de Venecia.
Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Bong Revilla were included in the slate as guest candidates.
The Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) along with other Estrada supporters heard mass at Liwasang Bonifacio in observance of Andres Bonifacio Day.
After the mass, Ronald Lumbao, head of the People’s Movement Against Poverty (PMAP) read on behalf of Estrada supporters a "Manifesto Against Poverty."
Binay spoke on the relevance of Bonifacio Day as well as the mission and platform of the PMP.
Estrada, Binay and the senatorial slate then rode the "Jeep Ni Erap" from Liwasang Bonifacio to the Comelec grounds.
They were welcomed at the Comelec to cheers of "Erap! Erap!"
Nacionalista Party standard bearer Manuel Villar and running mate Loren Legarda also filed their certificates of candidacy.
The NP senatorial slate consists of Marine Col. (ret.) Ariel Querubin, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Adel Tamano, Susan "Toots" Ople, Gwendolyn Pimentel, daughter of minority leader Aquilino Pimentel, and Ramon "Mon-Mon" Mitra, son of the late Speaker Ramon V. Mitra.
Villar heard a special mass officiated by Parañaque Bishop Jessie Mercado at the Manila Cathedral before proceeding to the Comelec.
"Simula ito ng hangarin nating i-ahon sa kahirapan ang ating mga kababayan," Villar said.
Villar said he is proud of the NP line-up which represents many sectors of society such as overseas Filipino workers, the military and women.
Legarda said she wants to make the Office of the Vice President more relevant in addressing the inter-related problems of hunger and poverty and the very serious threat brought about by climate change.
Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Bangon Pilipinas Party along with his running mate former SEC chair Perfecto Yasay also filed their COCs.
This is Villanueva’s second attempt at the presidency. He ran in 1998 but placed fifth and last with a vote of only over two million.
Villanueva said the party is better prepared this time.
The party’s candidates for senator are former broadcast journalists Alex Tinsay and Kata Inocencio, El Shaddai member lawyer Ramon Ocampo, Dr. Israel Virgines of the 7th Day Adventist Church, and Dr. Noldy Alonto from the Muslim community.
Other notables who filed their COCs for senator yesterday were former Dangerous Drugs Board chair and former Sen. Vicente "Tito" Sotto of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, broadcaster Rey Langit, who will be part of the Lakas-Kampi CMD ticket, and Bantay party-list Rep. Jovito Palparan.
In Makati City, Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado filed his COC for mayor under the Nacionalista Party.
Reports said Mercado’s vice mayoralty candidate is Chito Salud, a lawyer.
Binay had been grooming Mercado to replace him but speculations of infighting within the Binay camp were fueled when Mercado was conspicuously absent from Binay’s birthday celebration last Nov. 11.
In the Makati congressional race, Luisa Locsin, wife of Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., and Councilor Ernesto Aspillaga are eyeing the congressional seats of first and second districts.
In Las Piñas City, Mayor Vergel Aguilar filed his COC along with running mate councilor Luis Bustamante, a former vice mayor.
In Parañaque City, Rep. Eduardo Zialcita filed his COC for mayor under the NP with former vice mayor and TV host- comedian Andres Jose " Anjo" Yllana of Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) as running mate.
Zialcita will be up against incumbent mayor, Florencio "Jun" Bernabe.
In Pasay City, it will be a four-cornered fight for the mayoralty race with Mayor Wenceslao Trinidad seeking another term.
The three other hopefuls are incumbent Vice Mayor Antonio Calixto, former Pasay City Rep. Connie Dy, and Ricardo Santos, a former policeman.
In Taguig City, James Layug, a detained Magdalo leader and former Navy Lt/sg., recently filed his COC as representative of the 2nd District.
His opponents are Rep. Henry Dueñas and Jett Reyes, son of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes.
In Quezon City, actress Ara Mina (Hazel Reyes in real life) filed her COC for councilor of the Second District.
The actress was accompanied by her grandfather and long-time Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr., and her father Chuck Mathay, a former councilor.
The actress, in a text message, said the decision to enter politics was entirely her own.
"It was my own decision. Nobody influenced me. Di naman ako nagpapa-dikta kahit kanino," she said
Magdalo national spokesman Ashley Acedillo filed his COC for congressman of the first district of Cebu.
Acedillo, a former Air Force combat helicopter pilot, was a first lieutenant when he joined 321 junior officers and soldiers from the Air Force, Army and Navy in occupying the Oakwood Hotel in Makati to air their grievances against the Arroyo government and the Armed Forces on July 27, 2003.
He was released in August last year after being convicted by a general court martial of violating military regulations.
Since his release, Acedillo has been involved with a governance reform institute – the Institute for Solidarity in Asia – where he oversaw the training on good governance for 25 local government units.
As of 5 p.m. Monday, the Comelec said there were 55 aspirants for president, eight for vice president, and 92 for senator. – With JP Lopez and Angela Lopez de Leon