Petilla, Villanueva formalize 2016 Senate bid

MANILA, Philippines — Former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla and resigned Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Joel Villanueva submitted on Friday their certificate of candidacies to join the Senate race in 2016.

Petilla, who is running with Villanueva under the Liberal Party ticket, said he wants to improve health, innovate traditional education and address energy problems when elected.

"Ang sinasabi ko parati is that the three agenda that I have is always and has always been health, education and this time energy kasi napasok ako sa energy but pagdating sa tamang panahon ito lahat malalahad," Petilla said.

Petilla also wants to address energy problems in Mindanao. He assured that the region will have sufficient supply of electricity by 2016.

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Villanueva, meanwhile, was accompanied by his father, defeated 2010 presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva, TESDA ambassador Chef Boy Logro, basketball players Gerry Cordillera and Rodney Santos and his wife Gladys Villanueva.

Villanueva mentioned his TESDA-abbreviated advocacy, letter T for "trabaho", letter E for "edukasyon", letter S for "serbisyo", letter D for "dignidad, and letter A for "asenso.

"Dito po ako tumatayo bilang nag-aapply sa inyo ng trabaho this 2016 elections. Ang tatak Villanueva ay tantamound na to sincerity and integrity," Villanueva said.

Villanueva said his resignation from the agency was effective on October 9.

After filing his COC, Villanueva denied being a respondent in a case filed before the Office of the Ombudsman.

"Wala ho akong kaso sa Ombudsman... mismong ang NBI ang nagsabi na peke ang 21 of 21 na documents, itinuloy pa rin po ang reklamo. Buong buo po ang loob ko na sagutin ang mga ito," Villanueva said.

Both Petilla and Villanueva are neophytes in the senatorial race. Petilla was supposed to run with former president and current Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2007 but he backed out.

Asked if the LP senatorial slate can sweep the magic 12 in the May 2016 elections, Petilla said he is positive that majority of the candidates will get in if not all.

"The last time na buong partido nakapasok was I can't remember I think nung panahon pa ni Cory," Petilla said.

"We will do our best para 'yung buong slate talaga makapasok, that's coming also from the veteran senators," he added.