MANILA, Philippines - Incumbent elective officials, neophyte politicians and others out to resume careers in politics trooped to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) offices in Metro Manila yesterday to file their respective certificates of candidacy (COCs).
In Manila, former Philippine National Police chief Avelino Razon led a rally at the Liwasang Bonifacio prior to filing his COC for his mayoralty bid at the local Comelec office along Arroceros street.
“Remember this historic day because this signals the start of our fight for alternative change in Manila,” Razon told his supporters. He said the rally is regarded as his camp’s “show of force.”
Among those who attended the rally are members of the citizen’s group We Are the Reason Movement, who believe that Razon personifies the kind of pro-active leadership that the city government needs to make Manila progressive.
Razon, who is running for an elective post for the first time, compared Manila’s current condition to that of five-year-old Rodelyn Auditor, whom he met during a medical mission in Parola, Tondo several months ago. He said he arranged for Rodelyn’s treatment for a respiratory ailment and malnutrition and made provisions for her education. He said she has responded well to treatment and now has a chance to lead a normal and healthy life.
Razon said Rodelyn’s condition when he met her, “impoverished, sickly and lacking in hope for a bright future,” was similar to Manila’s current condition. He said if Rodelyn can be nursed back to health, the same can be done for Manila if its citizens rally behind a leadership committed to the principles of participative democracy and people empowerment.
Another bet for Manila mayor, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza, said yesterday he is set to file his COC under the Liberal Party (LP).
“I am a Liberal and nobody can take that away from me,” he told reporters during the weekly Balitaan sa Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City.
Atienza said he is one of the LP members who survived the Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971 that killed several members and onlookers.
He said he plans to revive Manila’s urban renewal program, which he initiated during his previous three terms as mayor. He said the program has become a template followed by other local government units in Metro Manila.
Atienza expressed dismay over the demolition of structures he set up in the city as part of the urban renewal program. He said that if he is elected, he will seek the passage of a law that will prohibit the demolition of existing development projects implemented by the previous administration.
“Those destroyed were government properties and there must be a proper accounting of the damage done,” he said.
Atienza said his successor – referring to incumbent Mayor Alfredo Lim, who is running for re-election – should have done is to “improve Baywalk, not demolish the structures in the area.”
Shifting alliances in Makati
A major change in Makati City’s political landscape is underway as opposition Mayor Jejomar Binay’s son, Councilor Erwin “Junjun” Binay, is set to file his COC for mayor on Dec. 1.
Makati’s information and community relations chief Joey Salgado confirmed that the younger Binay is running for mayor following the decision of Vice Mayor Ernesto Mercado to join the administration party.
“We were surprised by (Mercado’s) decision. We can’t find any reason for Mercado to transfer to another party. Mayor Binay has made it clear that his candidate for mayor is Mercado, that is why it came as a surprise,” Salgado said.
He added that the younger Binay will file his COC on Dec. 1, the last day for filing, to give Mercado time to return to the opposition.
A source told The STAR that the alleged cause of Mercado’s move is the Binay
family’s choice of singer Rico Puno as their congressional candidate for Makati’s first district, while Mercado’s choice is Chito Salud, son of former Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Rudy Salud.
“The group of Junjun Binay, backed by (his mother) Elenita Binay, were the ones who pushed for Puno’s congressional candidacy. Mayor Binay simply found himself in an awkward position, whether to prioritize blood over his strong commitment to Mercado,” the source said.
Family affairs
In Las Piñas, Mayor Vergel Aguilar filed his COC under the Nacionalista Party (NP) before the local Comelec office. Aguilar is seeking reelection together with Councilor Luis Bustamante, who wants to regain his former post as vice mayor.
Others who filed COCs to launch their bids to be city councilors are Dennis Aguilar, Steve Miranda, Mark Anthony Santos, Henry Medina, Carlo Aguilar, Renato Dumlao, Ruben Ramos, Danilo Hernandez, Leopoldo Benedictor, Rex Riguera, Benjamin Quilatan, and Oscar Peña.
Aguilar, who ran and won as an independent in the 2007 polls, said he supports the advocacies of his brother-in-law, Sen. Manny Villar, NP standard-bearer. Villar is focusing on addressing poverty alleviation, environment protection and social justice.
In Valenzuela, neophyte Rep. Rex Gatchalian is seeking re-election in the city’s first district. He filed his COC yesterday at the Comelec’s main office in Intramuros.
Gatchalian, spokesman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition of businessman Eduardo Cojuangco, was accompanied by businessman Carlitos Tiquia, 45, who will run for congressman in Valenzuela’s second district.
Incumbent Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian is Rex’s brother. Both are children of plastics king William Gatchalian, who owns the Waterfront Hotel chain in the country.
Malabon-Navotas Rep. Jaye Lacson Noel filed her COC Thursday, only more than a week after assuming her seat as a member of the House of Representatives.
She seeks to represent Malabon since Malabon and Navotas have been split into two legislative constituencies.
Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco, who supported Noel in the 2007 elections, is expected to run for congressman of Navotas.
Noel took over from Alvin Sandoval, who was ousted by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal in a unanimous decision on Noel’s election protest against him. The tribunal ruled that Noel won over Sandoval by 542 votes.
Also Thursday, candidates running for vice mayor and councilor in Caloocan City’s District 2 filed their COCs under the LP banner.
They marched to the local Comelec office, accompanied by about 100 supporters led by Mayor Enrico Echiverri, who bolted Lakas and joined LP earlier this month.
Among the candidates who filed their COCs are former congressman Egay Erice, who is running for vice mayor. Incumbent councilors Chito Abel and Marjorie Barreto are seeking reelection, while those seeking a seat on the city council are former councilor Tino Bagus; Barangay 61 chairwoman Carol Cunanan, daughter of third-term Councilor Ernesto Cunanan; newcomer Allen Aruelo, son of third-term Councilor Alex Aruelo; and newcomer Arnold Divina, brother of newly-installed University of Santo Tomas law school dean Nilo Divina, who himself ran and lost in the 2007 congressional race. – Sandy Araneta, Nestor Etolle, Perseus Echeminada, Jose Rodel Clapano, Delon Porcalla, Jerry Botial