By Bernice Camille V. Bauzon, Reporter

The first day of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday was colored by interesting personalities who had stayed away from the limelight but then decided to take a chance against the big names in the country’s political arena.
They may not exactly have the backgrounds and connections that most “popular” candidates have but what they lack in political clout and organizational machinery, they more than make up for it with their “platforms” of government that they intend to sell to voters in the 2010 elections.

A total of 14 wannabes submitted their COC for the position of president and three for senator before the poll body’s law department from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. of November 20—the first day of the 12-day scheduled COC filing.

Those who trooped to the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila, to file their certificates of candidacy and eventually join the presidential race were: Rigoberto Madera Jr., 61, teacher; Gilbert Garcia, 40, quantum physics instructor; Wendell Lope, 34, taxi driver; Vicente Fabella, 46, businessman; Josefina Murillo, 56, masseuse; Prof. Peter Peligrino, 70, retired teacher; Carmelo Carreon, 63, insurance agent; lawyer Oliver Lozano, 69; Vetallano Acosta, 52, financial consultant; Daniel Magtira, 49, chairman of Saint Peter Valle; Ernesto Balite, 64, retired teacher; Sultan Min Bilad Villaflor, 52, estigramist; Eduardo Fernandez, 58, businessman and retired government employee; and Noel Aguirre, 46, inventor and entrepreneur.
Those who filed their COC for the position of senator were Victoriano Inte, 55, political scientist; Micomi-I La-Lawquero, 41, medical clerk; and Eduardo Sion, 67, businessman.

Despite coming from diverse backgrounds, all the presidential aspirants were pushing for the elimination of corruption, nepotism and discrimination.

They and the senatorial aspirants gave surprisingly candid answers on what they would do if they ever become president or senators of the Republic.

Madera, a preacher, said that he would be replacing US President Barrack Obama if he won the 2010 polls. He added that his “ultimate goal” would be to become a “world emperor.” In 2004, Madera also filed his COC, aiming to be the “general of the generals of the world.”

Fabella said hat there would be dire consequences if he failed to be the next president. “Magugunaw ang mundo kapag ako ay kinatagang ‘nuisance candidate’ ng Comelec [The world will end if the Comelec classifies me as a nuisance candidate],” he told reporters.

Lope, who dubbed himself as the “Watchdog President,” said that his aim is “to reduce the age requirement for presidents.”

Another comebacking aspiring candidate, Fernandez, said that he will be pushing for the country to be another state under the United States if he is elected president. He added that he will be a “volunteer president” because he will not be demanding salary for his post. Fernandez had tried running for president thrice, and each time was branded as a “nuisance candidate” by the poll body.

Political credentials

Besides their political or apolitical credentials, still the one thing that the people want to know about their candidates is under what party they are running.

And although there seemed to be many “independent” candidates among those who filed their COC on Friday, one senatorial aspirant stood above them.

Sion, a native of Davao City, said that he was nominated by “Senior Nazareno,” the patron saint of Quiapo Church in Manila.

Lozano, a known loyalist of late strongman President Ferdinand Marcos, filed his certificate of candidacy for the second time. The first time was when he ran for senator and lost in the 2007 elections.
In a statement, Lozano promised that he would “lift the sequestration of the multibillion gold and dollar Marcos deposits so it can be used to solve within six months the economic crisis, poverty, hunger and Muslim-New People’s Army rebellion.”

He said that if he fails to fulfill all his goals as president, he will resign from his post. He added that he will pursue his intention to run for president, “unless Rep. Bongbong Marcos will run [for the post].”
Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte is the youngest son of the late strongman, and is expected to join the senatorial slate of former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s political party.

Lozano, in his statement, said that he has challenged Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy”
Aquino 3rd to a televised public debate on the Marcos-Aquino legacy.

Noynoy is the only son of late former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and late former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino.

“I filed my COC so that the people will know the whole truth to set them free from grand political deception . . . I believe that Cory was not the icon but iconoclast of democracy for having expediently established a revolutionary government and for having summarily removed duly elected officials,” Lozano said in the statement.

He added that “President Marcos was a champion of democracy [as] there was [only] martial law in name, [but] democracy in action.” Marcos declared military rule in 1972.

Lozano said that he is set to prove that the strongman was innocent of accusations of dictatorship, plunder and human rights violations.

“I will [also] prove that the Cory or Ninoy magic is indeed mere magic or myth,” he added.

Lozano said that he will be running under the banner of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL)—the political party established by Marcos during his tenure as president—and that he is expecting to be paid “shortly more or less P5 billion as attorney’s fee.”

Earlier, he filed a disqualification case against Estrada, but the poll body decided to outrightly deny it because of its premature filing. The former leader is running for president again in the 2010 elections.

Nuisance candidates

“Interesting” candidates were expected on the first day of the COC filing, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said. He added that the more established personalities were expected to arrive in the coming days.

Also earlier, Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said that those who filed their COC within the 12-day schedule will undergo hearing before the en banc.

He said that two of the main reasons why candidates are deemed to be “nuisance candidates” are their inability to wage a national campaign and their sharing the name of a more established candidate.
Under such circumstances, Comelec commissioners will tackle in an en banc hearing who is more eligible to run for a national position.

Also on the first day of the filing of COC, the Comelec accepted 13 manifestations of intent to participate in the 2010 party-list elections.

Those who filed their intents were members of party-list groups 1-Utak, Buhay, Ako, An Waray, 1-Araw, Abakada, Aba Ilonggo, Citizens Battle Against Corruption, Biyayang Bukid and Anak Mindanao.
Party-list groups that intend to filed candidates in next year’s polls have until March 26, 2010 to submit the names of their nominees, which should number fewer than five.