MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 2) Reelectionist senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid filed his candidacy for senator under the ruling coalition at the Commission on Elections Office in Manila Wednesday.

Lapid, who submitted his certificate of candidacy (CoC) at 10:45 a.m., said his stay with the Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats was a sign of his “loyalty to the administration.” He also wants to continue his national projects, including providing free legal assistance to the poor.

Earlier in the day, Retired Police General Romeo Baylon Maganto filed his own CoC for senator.

Maganto said he would push to stop media killings, put up multipurpose buildings in every town to house victims of disasters, and establish livelihood projects for his retired colleagues.

Maganto was accompanied by Abner Afuang, his spokesman.

Lapid, the actor-turned-senator, said he was requested by presidential spokesman Gabriel Claudio to run under the administration's senatorial slate, along with other party loyalists senators Miguel Zubiri and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

Lapid’s senatorial bid debunked speculations that the incumbent would run again as governor for Pampanga. But Lapid said he wanted to try another shot at Senate “to continue serving more Filipinos.”

“Nakikita naman natin nagtatalunan yung ibang [As we can see, some of our former members have jumped to other parties. Only three of us I, along with Migs (Zubiri) and Bong (Revilla) have remained loyal to the party],” said Lapid.

“I am not afraid that our candidacy would be affected by what others call low ratings of our standard-bearers because the campaign has not yet started. In fact Gibo’s [Teodoro] ratings have improved by two points and we have still a long way to go,” said the former governor of Pampanga.

He added that he has not talked yet to friend and fellow actor Edu Manzano, the Lakas-Kampi vice president.

Asked if he was confident he could garner enough votes to win a seat in 2010 based on his performance, Lapid said: “It is up to the people to trust their vote to me based on my previous performance [as senator and governor].”

Lapid said he has no knowledge yet whether his son would run for governor in Pampanga.