The 2019 election fever couldn’t be more colorful and delirious without the aspirants from vibrant backgrounds that splash the awe and excitement in Philippine polls.
Similar with the previous years, political hopefuls like the “former lovers” of Kris Aquino and Mocha Uson showed up on the first day of filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Intramuros, Manila.
Daniel Magtira, who claims to be an ex-husband of Kris Aquino, presents his certificate of candidacy for senator in the 2019 elections. INQUIRER.net/Cathrine Gonzales
Daniel Magtira, who claimed he was an ex-husband of Kris Aquino, said he will advocate for Filipino rock bands if he will land a seat at the Senate.
He also said he still loves the so-called Queen of All Media.
“Kris Aquino, kung nanonood ka ngayon, umiibig pa rin ako sa’yo (Kris Aquino, if you are watching now, I am still loving you),” he said in front of cameras after filing his COC.
This is his third time to try his luck to get selected after his applications in 2013 and 2016 were rejected by the Comelec.
Angon Tuana, who claims to be a former boyfriend of Mocha Uson, stands outside the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila, on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, waiting for his turn to file his COC for senator. INQUIRER.NET / CHRISTIA MARIE RAMOS
Anson “Agi” Tuana, who said he became Uson’s boyfriend also turned up at the Comelec, and even flashed a piece of banana to reporters.
READ: Mocha Uson’s ‘ex’ wants a Senate seat
He said he bought the banana because no one bought it from a street vendor he met on his way to the Comelec building.
“Naawa naman ako (I pitied him),” Tuana said.
A certain Christian Castro, meanwhile, proposed a “Piso para sa Puso (Peso for the Heart)” program, where he said every Filipino will be required to donate one peso for government programs.
He said the program will help address the needs of the public, including those who need medical operations.
Rolando Merano presents on Thursday, October 11, 2018, his certificate of candidacy for senator in the 2019 polls at the Comelec in Intramuros Manila. INQUIRER.net/Cathrine Gonzales
Rolando Merano, on the other hand, claimed that prior his decision to run as a senator, he received a call from the World Bank about the state of poverty in the country.
“Ang akin pong sagot sa kanila ay mayroon tayong batas sa iba’t ibang bansa [to address poverty] (My answer to them is we have laws in different countries to address poverty),” he said.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said around 100 nuisance candidates might emerge at the poll body’s main office to file their candidacy for the 2019 midterm elections.
READ: Around 100 ‘nuisance’ bets likely to turn up at Comelec – poll exec
In the 2016 national elections, 90 candidates were removed from the original 140 senatorial aspirants for being “nuisance,” according to Guanzon.
Filing of candidacy for the 2019 election started 8 a.m. Thursday, and will run until 5 p.m. Wednesday, October 17. But there will be no filing of COCs on Saturday, October 12, and Sunday, October 13.
At the end of Comelec’s office hours on Thursday, a total of 27 senatorial aspirants filed their COC’s before the poll body. /kga/ac
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