On October 21, Commission on Elections (Comelec) started the process of finalizing the list of eligible candidates for the 2016 national and local elections (NLE). The Philippine Star recently reported that the Comelec law department has already filed motu proprio petitions to declare some 266 hopefuls as nuisance candidates for the presidency, vice presidency, and senatorship.
From October 12 to 16, a total of 321 hopefuls filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for the positions of president, vice president, and senator. If the petitions are approved, only 55 aspirants will be included in the official list of candidates for the 2016 elections, set to be released by Comelec on December 10.
Presidential bets
Of 130 presidential aspirants who filed their COCs, only four have been declared “qualified” for next year’s elections by the Comelec thus far. A fifth presidential bet yet to be named may be qualified, reported the Philippine Star.
Among the hopefuls are Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, a former tricycle driver, a chemical engineer, “Archangel Lucifer”, an Intergalactic Space Ambassador, and a “Hitler of the new generation.”
Only Binay, Poe, Roxas, and Santiago have been identified by the Comelec as presidential candidates as of October 27.
- Of all the presidentiables, Vice President Binay was among the first to express his intentions of running for the highest post, confirming his plans back in September 2011. He remarked last May that he is running because the country has to have leaders “with experience and competence.” The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) launched Binay’s presidential campaign at the Makati Coliseum last July.
- Finishing first place in the 2013 Senatorial Elections, Poe was a likely contender for the presidency, but she dismissed any plans of running in April 2014, saying that she was not considering “anything higher.” Although she rejected ideas of running in the past years, she announced her intention of running for presidency at a gathering at the University of the Philippines Diliman last September 16.
- The Liberal Party remained without a presidential nominee until the end of July this year when President Benigno Aquino III endorsed Roxas as their official standard bearer at a gathering in Club Filipino in San Juan. Roxas expressed his plans of continuing the “Daang Matuwid” that the current president has started.
- Diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in July 2014, Santiago took to Twitter to express, “In the 2016 presidential elections, when I am rid of lung cancer, I intend to claim the presidency I won in 1992.” On October 13, a day after Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte denied intent to run for president, Santiago confirmed her candidacy during a book signing.
Candidates for vice presidency
A total of 19 hopefuls filed their COCs for the position of vice president for the upcoming 2016 NLE, a number that is expected to be reduced to six after 13 VP aspirants face petitions to be declared as nuisance candidates.
Notable vice presidentiables include Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” Escudero, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, and Camarines Sur Representative Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo.
- Once a reluctant candidate, Senator Honasan changed his mind and decided to run for vice president as Binay’s running mate under the UNA. Earlier this year, Honasan turned down a possible tandem with Binay, but later accepted the offer after negotiations with Marcos Jr. failed for Binay.
- Despite criticisms hurled his way for defending his father’s presidency, Senator Marcos Jr. made his vice presidential bid official after he filed his COC on October 13. Amid controversies surrounding his family background, Marcos still holds the third spot as a vice presidential candidate in Pulse Asia’s poll conducted last September.
- Independent candidate Senator Trillanes IV first expressed his intentions in running for the second highest position in the country earlier this October prior to filing his COC. He said his platform would focus on three key points: restoration of peace and order, anti-poverty, and the fight against corruption.
- On September 17, Senator Escudero accepted Poe’s offer to be her running mate for the 2016 NLE. Escudero used to be part of the Nationalist People’s Coalition but left the party in 2010 when he was linked to the presidential bid. The tandem maintains resolute in pursuing the top two positions in the country without a political party.
- Senate majority floor leader Cayetano announced his intent to run for vice president on September 29 in Davao City. He did not file his COC until the last day in hopes that Duterte will change his mind and run for the presidency. He filed his COC without a running mate and as an independent candidate. Cayetano will be running against his party mates from the Nacionalista Party, Trillanes IV and Marcos Jr., for the position.
- Robredo filed her COC for vice president under the Liberal Party as the running mate of standard bearer Roxas. Though reluctant at first, she eventually entered into politics and has since promised to continue her late husband Jesse Robredo’s legacy, which led her to win the congressional race in Camarines Sur in 2013.
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Senatorial bids
The number of aspirants who filed their COCs for senator rose to 172 during the filing period earlier this month. In hopes of finalizing the list of eligible candidates, Comelec has already sent 128 senatorial hopefuls letters asking for evidence why they should not be declared as nuisance candidates.
During the first day of the filing period, 16 aspirants filed their COC for a Senate seat. Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was the first to file his COC for the senatorial position. Other notable hopefuls who filed their COC on the first day include Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Neri Colmenares and Moro National Liberation Front Director for Advocacy John Petalcorin. Meanwhile, on the second day, Comelec recorded nine COCs filed for senator, including Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez and ACT-CIS Party-list Representative Samuel Pagdilao.
A total of 28 persons formalized their candidacies on the third day, among them Risa Hontiveros, marking her third time running for the position. Senators Franklin Drilon, Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, and Ralph Recto will be up for a re-election for the position. UNA Representatives Alma Moreno and Sulu Princess Jacel Kiram will also be running for senator. Other hopefuls who filed their COC on the third day include former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chief Francis Tolentino, former Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid, and former Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Juan Miguel Zubiri.
Proclaiming that her time as justice secretary was insufficient, former Department of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima was among the 30 hopefuls who filed their COCs on the fourth day. Senators Teofisto Guingona III and Serge Osmeña III filed for re-election. Sandra Cam, a jueteng whistleblower, also filed her COC for senator on the fourth day.
On the last day, 89 aspiring senators filed their COCs. Among them were former Philippine National Police-Special Action Force Chief Getulio Napeñas, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director-General Joel Villanueva, and former Optical Media Board Chair Edu Manzano. Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao also filed a COC for senator under the political party UNA. Other hopefuls who filed their COCs in seeking for Senate seats include former Senator Richard Gordon, former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesperson Eid Kabalu, and former Akbayan Representative Walden Bello.
For the full lists of persons who filed their COCs for national positions in the 2016 NLE, visit:
