UNA bets file COC at Comelec

MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial candidates of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Intramuros Monday.

UNA leaders Vice President Jejomar Binay, former President Joseph Estrada, and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile accompanied their candidates as they filed their COC at around 1 p.m.

UNA is a merger of Binay’s PDP-Laban party and Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

Among those in UNA’s senatorial slate who filed their COC at the Comelec were reelectionist Sen. Gregorio Honasan, Representatives JV Ejercito, Jackie Ponce Enrile and Milagros Magsaysay; former senators Ernesto Maceda, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Richard Gordon; and former Tarlac Governor Margarita “Tingting’’ Cojuangco.

Ejercito is the son of Estrada while Enrile is the son of Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile. Cojuangco is the wife of Jose “Peping’’ Cojuangco, uncle of President Benigno Aquino III.

Joey de Venecia, who was supposed to be a senatorial bet of UNA, earlier withdrew his candidacy.

Guest UNA candidates Senators Francis Chiz Escudero, Loren Legarda, and MTRCB Chairman Grace Poe Llamanzares were not present.

Meanwhile, Binay, when asked about the Liberal Party’s policy of not allowing its guest candidates to campaign with UNA, called on the candidates to exercise fair judgment, saying that what should be given to LP should also be given to UNA.

“Dapat patas lang ang trato (We should get equal treatment),” Binay said. “Kung ano ang ibibigay sa LP dapat ibigay din sa UNA (Whatever they give to LP should also be given to UNA).”

Binay added that if the guest candidates decide to go to the campaigns of the other party, they should also go to the UNA campaigns.

“Bakit naman may maninimbang….kung ganoon e di hindi na ipagpapatuloy ang suporta (Why should there be any distinction…if that is so then it’s better not to continue with the support),’’ Binay said.

Binay also confirmed that de Venecia was no longer running and that UNA leaders would still be meeting on who would replace him. He said they still have until October 5 to name a replacement.

Estrada, when asked about when he would file his CoC, said that he would go back to the Comelec office on Tuesday morning. Estrada would be running against Alfredo Lim for the position of Manila Mayor.

Enrile, for his part, remained upbeat during the filing, and was shouting “UNA, one for all and all for one.”

“Yan ang motto namin (That’s our motto),” he said.

Present during the said filing were Navotas Rep.Toby Tiangco, UNA secretary general; Lawyer JV Bautista, UNA spokesperson; and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.

A total of 20 candidates filed their COC at the Comelec’s main office during the first day of filing.

Originally posted at 01:13 pm | Monday, October 1, 2012