Poll fever heats up

A FESTIVE mood prevailed at the premises of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) head office in Manila yesterday morning as three presidential contenders, cheered by thousands of supporters with bands in tow, alternately filed their certificates of candidacy (CoC) for next year’s elections.

Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Senator Manuel B. Villar, Jr., in orange shirt, running mate Senator Loren B. Legarda of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and the NP senatorial slate filed their candidacies at around 9:30 a.m.

"This is the start of the fulfillment of our aspiration to lift Filipinos out of poverty" Mr. Villar, 59, told media in Filipino after formalizing his bid.

The former Senate president, accused of corruption in a road extension project south of Metro Manila, was accompanied by his wife, Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia A. Villar, and their three children.

Orange, meanwhile, turned to yellow when Bangon Pilipinas candidates led by standard-bearer Eduardo C. Villanueva, filed his candidacy.

The 63-year-old TV evangelist, with running mate Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr., former Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, and five senatorial candidates filed their CoCs at around 10:30 a.m.

"Today, genuine change is given a face. Not of celebrities, but of servants who represent sectors crying out for reforms," said Mr. Villanueva, who placed fifth in the 2004 presidential elections and is banking on the vote of millions of followers in the Jesus is Lord Church.

He was followed by deposed president Joseph E. Estrada, in an orange T-shirt, arrived at Palacio del Gobernador, the Comelec’s office, driving a jeepney -- his signature campaign icon: "JEEP ni Erap," which stands for justice, economy, environment and peace and "Erap" being Mr. Estrada’s nickname.

Mr. Estrada, 77, of the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) and running mate Makati Mayor Jejomar C. Binay of the Partido Demokrating Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), coalescing as the United Opposition (UNO), and their eight senatorial bets filed their CoCs at 11:30 a.m.

The former leader, after filing his CoC, said in a short briefing he will run under the same platform that catapulted him to a landslide victory in 1998: eradicating poverty, fighting graft and corruption, promoting the welfare of the masses, and peace and order.

The former chief executive garnered 11 million votes -- the highest for a presidential candidate in Philippine history -- in 1998 when the country celebrated its centennial independence.

Mr. Estrada, ousted in 2001 amid allegations of corruption, was sentenced to life imprisonment for plunder in October 2007. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who succeeded him in 2001, granted the actor-turned-politician executive clemency in November 2007, restoring his political and civil rights.

Mr. Estrada reiterated yesterday his eligibility to seek anew the presidency saying he was illegally and unconstitutionally removed from office, adding Mrs. Arroyo "stole" the presidency from him.

Senatorial candidates

Meanwhile the NP’s senatorial slate is composed of Adel A. Tamano, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila president who transferred from UNO; Gwendolyn C. Pimentel-Gana, eldest daughter of Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr.; former Marine officer Ramon Victor B. Mitra, son of the late former speaker Ramon V. Mitra; former Labor undersecretary Susan V. Ople, daughter of the late former senator Blas F. Ople; Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr., son of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos; reelectionist Senator Pilar Juliana S. Cayetano; and former Marine Col. Ariel O. Querubin, who is facing coup charges. Guest candidates are Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Senator Ramon B. Revilla, Jr.

Former Marine Col. Ariel O. Querubin, who is facing coup charges for leading a mutiny in February 2006, is temporarily released and joined by his family in filing his candidacy for senator under the NP.

Mr. Querubin, who arrived at the Comelec in full military uniform, received a special pass from detention to file his candidacy.

In a chance interview, NP spokesman Gilbert C. Remulla said the party has reserved two slots for party-list Reps. Saturnino C. Ocampo (Bayan Muna) and Liza L. Maza (Gabriela). "Talks have been ongoing. We are discussing contentions issues," he said.

The leftist lawmakers, who formalized their senatorial bids yesterday, have decided to run as independent candidates due to the NP’s alliance with the Marcos-led Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party.

UNO’s senatorial slate is composed of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, PMP chairman emeritus; Senate Pro-Tempore Jose E. Estrada, detained Brig. Gen. Danilo P. Lim; broadband deal whistle-blower Jose P. de Venecia III; Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo G. Plaza III; Negros Occidental Rep. Apolinario L. Lozada, Jr.; and former Sanlakas party-list Rep. Jose Virgilio L. Bautista; with Ms. Santiago and Mr. Revilla as guest candidates. Mr. Lim and Ms. Defensor have filed their CoCs last week.

In a related development, Bangon Pilipinas’ senatorial ticket groups broadcast journalists Alex Tinsay and Kata Inocencio; Zafrullah M. Alonto, who represents the Muslim community; Ramoncito Ocampo, a preacher from El Shaddai, the Catholic charismatic group of Brother Miguel "Mike" Z. Velarde; and Israel Virginez from the Seventh Day Adventists.

Still in the race

As this developed, Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" A. S. Madrigal will file her presidential bid today, the last day of the filing of candidacies, as an independent bet.

Her media officer, Nora Deuna, told BusinessWorld that her boss was quitting Mr. Binay’s PDP-Laban, the party which helped her win in the 2004 midterm elections.

Ms. Madrigal is the proponent of the road project ethics case against Mr. Villar. She announced a bid for the presidency last July.

The early presidential candidates in the Nov. 20-Dec. 1 filing period were John Carlos de los Reyes, standard-bearer of Ang Kapatiran party, and environmental activist Nicanor Jesus P. Perlas III of the Partido ng Marangal na Sambayanan. Liberal Party candidate Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III filed his CoC last Saturday.

Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. of the administration Lakas-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-Christian Muslim Democrats will file his CoC today. Ex-Public Works secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane, Jr. withdrew from the race on Sunday, while former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani F. Fernando and Senator Richard J. Gordon have yet to formalize their plans. -- Adriel M. Paglinawan and Bernard U. Allauigan