Old faces headline penultimate day of candidacy filing

MANILA, Philippines — At age 94, former senator Juan Ponce Enrile is poised to become the oldest to file candidacy since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) opened applications last week.

Enrile, through his lawyer Joseph Sagandoy, filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila yesterday.

Enrile led other veterans in filing their COCs, along with members of the country’s old political clans – the Marcoses, Aquinos, Tañadas and Dioknos – seeking a comeback on the scene at a higher level.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, re-electionist Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno and former Quezon representative Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada III filed their COCs for senator.

Aquino is the nephew of martyred former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. while Marcos is the daughter of his arch political rival, the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

On the other hand, Tañada is the grandson of the late senator Lorenzo Tañada, while Diokno is the son of late senator Jose “Pepe” Diokno, founder of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG).

The Aquinos, Dioknos and Tañadas struggled against the Marcoses during the martial law years.

Marcos had expressed confidence about winning a seat at the Senate despite the negative tag against her family.

“I think the new generation, or particularly the millennial generation, is now ready to hear our side of the story... I can answer everything and if I am worried, I won’t be here,” she said.

Marcos maintained her family is not about to apologize for past misdeeds.

“I have apologized repeatedly to those who have been hurt by unexpected incidents. But me and my brother Bongbong and mother (Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos) believe that if they expect or demand admission (of guilt) from us, that will never happen,” she added.

Marcos said they cannot admit to anything that their family did not commit. She was accompanied by her brother, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and sons Borgy, Michael and Matthew. The Marcos matriarch also came but remained at the ground floor of Comelec.

Marcos, who is running under the Nacionalista Party, said her goal is to “bring down prices to end poverty in this generation and to make certain that no Filipino is left behind.”

The four candidates represented the generation that lived through the martial law years, with Enrile among the key players of the regime.

Old faces

Enrile, for his part, wanted to continue playing politics despite his ripe age.

Old faces like Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and former senator Jinggoy Estrada also want to return to the Senate in 2019.

Enrile, a long-time lawyer and veteran legislator, however, signed the COC with an erroneous entry listing his occupation as “businesswoman.”

Officials said Enrile’s camp might have misunderstood the COC form.

Question 19 of the COC form requires the name of the spouse and immediately under it is the occupation.

Enrile could not personally appear before Comelec so Sagandoy filed the COC on his behalf.

Sagandoy did not grant any interviews with the media but he immediately retrieved the COC for correction.

Enrile, however, granted an interview with The STAR, saying he has been closely studying the country’s situation as well as international developments in the past three years.

He felt he could contribute to strengthening the nation from various challenges if elected back to the Senate.

“I will utilize what I’ve learned in studying for three years on our national law and order condition, the international developments that will affect our country. Even these looming conflicts around the world that will make food and fuel resources scarce,” he said.

Asked how will he wage his electoral campaign, Enrile said: “I will limit my personal appearances but I will maximize the use of technology and social media.”

He said his advanced age should not be a hindrance as it would be his “brains” that will do all the working if he gets elected again to the Senate.

Enrile is out on bail facing charges in connection with the pork barrel scam, along with Jinggoy Estrada.

Jinggoy was accompanied by his parents, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and former senator Loi Ejercito, and brother Jude, in filing his COC at the Comelec.

The younger Estrada said he also wanted his half brother, reelectionist Sen. JV Ejercito, to win in their Senate bids.

Cayetano, under the Nacionalista Party, came riding a bicycle from Rizal Park to the Comelec main office to file her COC.

Cayetano claimed that she still has many unfinished business at the Senate and wants to complete them.  

Roxas also appeared, coming out from semi- retirement after losing his vice presidential and presidential bids.

Roxas said that while he is already enjoying his life away from politics, he deemed it necessary to come back to help those suffering from the country’s economic crisis. 

“My aim is to provide specific solutions to problems and not just the general or the so-called ‘beauty contest’ answers,” said Roxas, running under the opposition Liberal Party (LP).

Vice President Leni Robredo said she was glad that Roxas, her partner in the 2016 presidential elections, decided to run again for the Senate.

“This is a big sacrifice for him but this proves his love for the country, he is still willing to serve and fight for the Filipinos no matter what,” Robredo said.

The LP said Roxas would be an asset to the Senate, with his experience as former legislator and member of the executive branch.

Keen interest

Forty-one senatorial aspirants filed their COCs yesterday, bringing the total to 104 since filing started last Oct. 11.

So far, only the Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi party (KP) was able to deploy a complete slate of senatorial candidates.  

KP is headed by Conrado Generoso, former spokesman for the consultative committee (Concom) created by President Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution for possible shift to federal government. 

On the other hand, a still unidentified senatorial aspirant collapsed inside the Comelec office while he was about to submit his COC.

Initial reports showed the candidate was about to enter the elevator when he fainted.

Responders from the Philippine Red Cross brought the candidate to the Manila Medical Center.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the sheer number of filers exceeded their expectations. 

“Remember, this is only a midterm election but the interest is very high. Aside from that, we’d like to note that many parties already have complete slate... so it seems many are serious now,” Jimenez said.

For the party-list race, Comelec Education and Information Department Director Frances Arabe reported that 54 groups have submitted Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA), raising the total to 115.

“We expect almost a hundred more to submit their list of nominees because a total 201 party-list organizations have filed their CONA,” Arabe said.

Former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes noted some retired politicians and incumbent three-term local government officials are using the party-list system to return to politics.

Among them was former Pangasinan representative Gina de Venecia who went to the Comelec main office to file her CONA for Inang Bayan party-list.

Another nominee is former agrarian reform secretary Rafael Mariano, who is returning as Anakpawis party-list representative.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao accompanied his brother Bobby, who filed his CONA under OFW Family Club party-list.

“I am here to support my brother because I believe we need to support measures strengthening protection for Filipinos working abroad,” the senator said.

Brillantes, however, lamented a new law is needed to prevent influential politicians and groups from using and abusing the party-list system.

Other militant groups such as Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) have also filed their CONA.

Among the party-list groups that filed CONA yesterday are 1-One BagongAhapo ng Pilipina (1-Ahapo); An Waray; PNP Retirees’ Association Inc. (PRAI); Agricultural Sector Alliance of the Philippines (AGAP); METRO; Aksyon; Wifi; People’s Surge; Tribal Community of the Philippines; Ave party-list; May Pagasa; Kabalikat; Minimum wage earners; Abakada; Galing sa Puso; 1 AAAct; Tricap; DUMPER; CONSLA; UFCC; Magsasaka; Stop n Go; Team Philippines (tourism industry) and Ang Probinsyano. – with Mayen Jaymalin, Ghio Ong, Helen Flores, Marvin Sy