And then there were 5: Señeres backs out

ROY Señeres, the sixth presidential candidate to be approved by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), has withdrawn his candidacy for health reasons, his spokesperson announced Friday.

Señeres, a former ambassador whose main claim to fame was his rescue of overseas Filipino worker Sarah Balabagan from execution in the United Arab Emirates in 1996, was running under Partido ng Mangagawa at Magsasaka. He was a party-list representative in the House for the OFW Family Club.

When he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) last October, Señeres said he was running to champion the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and to fight labor contractualization.

Señeres’ daughter Hannah and spokesperson Candelaria Rivas went to the Comelec main office in Manila on Friday to file a statement of cancellation and withdrawal of his candidacy on his behalf.

However, the Comelec law department refused to accept it because Comelec rules require that the document be filed in person by the candidate.

Rivas read Señeres’ prepared statement addressed to his family, friends and countrymen.

“I wish to inform you that after much thought and prayers to God Almighty, I am hereby announcing my withdrawal from the Philippine presidential race. I do so with the blessings of my family and upon the recommendation of my doctor who has advised me to avoid stress due to my long-standing diabetes so as to prevent the complications thereof,” Señeres’ statement read.

According to John Rex Laudiangco, the chief of the legal opinion and research division of the Comelec, he told Señeres’ emissaries to attach a medical certificate or any doctor’s attestation that he was physically incapable of filing the documents personally and the issue would be elevated to the en banc.

“If the en banc allows it, so be it. If the en banc directs us to verify the condition as to why it was not filed personally, let’s see,” Laudiangco said.

He said Seneres’ lawyer had promised to have Señeres’ statement of cancellation/withdrawal filed by Monday or Tuesday.

Asked if Seneres’ name would still be included in the official ballots since the start of printing is set to begin on Monday, Feb. 8, Laudiangco said: “As of now, I think Chair (Andres Bautista) has already stated that there are six candidates for President.”

“I also told the representatives of Señeres that it is one thing to have your COC withdrawn but it’s another thing to have your name removed from the official ballot. I don’t know if the timeline will still permit the removal of any names considering the list is already final and the printing of ballots will start on Monday,” he added.

Bautista has said that candidates may back out of the race even close to the elections.

“Technically, up to the last minute he may withdraw, if he will back out it would be better if he does it earlier so his name will no longer be included in the ballot,” he said in an interview a few hours before Seneres’ camp came to the Comelec.

Seneres’ daughter, Hannah, told reporters the withdrawal was a “collective decision” of the family.

“This has been an ongoing discussion within our family, and it’s a collective decision,” she said. “Of course the consideration has always been there, but the final decision came very recently.”

She denied that her father’s health has worsened, saying the withdrawal of candidacy was done for “prevention.”

“His illness is not worse, it’s just more to prevent any complications because first and foremost, his health is our priority,” Hannah said.

“The rigors of the campaign tend to take a toll on the body. It’s just best that he exits at this point to take care of his health,” she added.

With Seneres’ announcement of his withdrawal from the presidential race, five names are left in the list that will likely make it into the official ballots.

They are Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Sen. Grace Poe and former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

In his statement, Señeres said his withdrawal from the presidential derby was not equivalent to a withdrawal from his advocacy, “that is, to fight for the rights and welfare of our labor sector, particularly the overseas Filipino workers, their family members, and local workers victimized by labor contractualization.”

He said the battle would continue through the campaign for reelection of the OFW Family party-list which will “continue to push for pro-labor and pro-OFW advocacies in its legislative agenda.”

Señeres is the second presidential candidate to back out of the race, after Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino’s Rommel Mendoza.

Señeres served as ambassador and labor attaché to the United Arab Emirates and chair of the National Labor Relations Commission.

Seneres’ running mate Teodulo Cruz Malangen, and Gion Villamor Gounet, a senatorial aspirant under Seneres’ party, also withdrew their candidacy.