FORMER senator Jinggoy Estrada is looking to make a comeback in the Senate halls as he led the aspirants who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) yesterday at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent in Pasay City, a day after half-brother JV Ejercito also filed his candidacy for senator.
Aside from Estrada, the only other prominent individual who filed a COC yesterday is former “Otso Diretso” senatorial candidate Samira Gutoc.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and his running mate, Dr. Willie Ong, will file their COCs for president and vice president today, Monday, according to Moreno’s camp.
The camp of Sen. Panfilo Lacson had earlier said he and his running mate, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, will file their CoCs on October 6.
After Day 3 of the eight-day COC filing period set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), one COC has been filed for president, one for vice president, and four for senator.
Ten party-list organizations have also filed their Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance (CONAs) and list of nominees.
PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar yesterday said the first three days of filing COCs for next year’s elections have been generally peaceful.
“But we are not lowering our guard on the possibility of any eventuality, especially during the last day of the filing,” Eleazar said.
Estrada, who served two terms as senator from 2004 to 2016, is running under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, the political party of his father, former President Joseph Estrada, while Ejercito running anew under the Nationalist People’s Coalition.
The two failed to land in the Magic 12 in the 2019 mid-term polls that analysts attributed to their sharing the same voter base loyal to their father.
“I wish for both for us good luck. I believe, since there are 12 seats that being fought for, I hope both of us will win,” said Estrada, adding: “Both of us deserve to be there. The blood running through our veins are the same, the blood that is for the service of our countrymen.”
The party-lists that filed their CONAs yesterday were Abono, 1- UTAP, VOICE Philippines, Manibela, Patrol, 1A SECAP, ACT ONE, Ilocano Defenders, PTA, and 4Ps.
In all, seven presidential aspirants have filed their COCs, led by Sen. Manny Pacquiao who filed his candidacy under the PDP-Laban, Probinsya Muna Development Initiative (Promdi), and People’s Champ Movement (PCM) last Friday.
The two prominent names among the four COC filers on Friday and Saturday were Pacquiao’s running mate, Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, and long-time President Duterte aide Sen. Bong Go.
In all, 19 COCs for senator have been filed, the more prominent among them re-electionist Sen. Risa Hontiveros, comebacking aspirants Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, and Ejercito, along with broadcaster Raffy Tulfo.
A total of 28 party-list organizations have filed their CONAs and list of nominees.
They are AGAP, Kabayan, An Waray, Diwa, PPP, Alona, Toda, Cancer, PVAID, 1-Pacman, ACT-CIS, Marino, Ako Tanod, Ang Probinsyano, PBA, Turismo Isulong Mo, COOP – NATCCO, 1-Rider, WACCAA, APEC, PHILRECA, RECOBODA, Ako Padayon, Abang Lingkod, PNPRA Inc, PDP Cares, Ang Kabuhayan, and Bagong Henerasyon.
To prevent the transmission of coronavirus disease, the Comelec has prohibited those positive for the virus, close contacts of cases, and those from areas under granular lockdown from filing either COCs or CONAs.
“(Said) aspirants shall file their Certificates of Candidacy only through their duly authorized representatives,” said the Comelec. — With Victor Reyes
