Remulla joins senatorial race

MANILA, Philippines - Nacionalista Party (NP) spokesman Gilbert Remulla has joined next year’s senatorial race, filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) head office in Intramuros, Manila and beating last Tuesday’s midnight deadline by only a few minutes.

Remulla said he arrived at the decision to run after months of being badgered by NP standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. to fill in the last slot of the party’s senatorial slate.

The former Cavite congressman and television broadcast journalist said he “finally found the sign” he was looking for when he made the decision to run for the Senate.

Remulla said he had the blessings of his father, former Cavite Gov. Juanito Remulla, before he proceeded with family and supporters to the Comelec to file his COC late Tuesday.

Villar has been vocal in past provincial sorties in introducing the NP spokesman as among the senatorial candidates.

Remulla, however, remained reluctant and chose to stick to his task of speaking on behalf of the party and the candidates.

Without elaborating on his reasons and “signs” that prompted him to change his mind, Remulla said, “I reached this decision on my own.” Remulla said he would stay on as NP spokesman until the party finds a replacement.

He added the inclusion of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as a guest senatorial candidate in the NP would not be an issue. Remulla and Revilla belong to prominent rival political families from Cavite.

“I think we’ve reached an accord of sorts. We aren’t going against each other in this election. Besides, we have common enemies in the province at this point,” Remulla said.

The Partido ng Magdalo, a local party founded by the Remulla patriarch, has thrown its support behind Villar’s presidential bid. Gilbert’s brother Vice Gov. Juanito Victor “Junvic” is running for Cavite governor.

Remulla’s candidacy brings to 12 the total number of senatorial candidates of the Villar-led NP.

The NP is seeking Comelec’s recognition as the dominant opposition party for next year’s election.  

In 2007, the Liberal Party (LP) was accredited by the Comelec as the dominant opposition party.

Remulla joins lawyer Adel Tamano, Susan “Toots” Ople, Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Ramon “Mon-Mon” Mitra, and re-electionist Sen. Pia Cayetano.

Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Revilla, who ran under the administration slate in the 2004 elections, were adopted as guest candidates.

Also in the slate is detained Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, who is being represented by his stepson, Martin Loon in the provincial sorties.

The last two slots remain reserved for party-list Representatives Liza Maza of Gabriela and Bayan Muna’s Satur Ocampo, who filed their COCs as independent candidates since they do not want to be in the same slate as Marcos.

Sen. Loren Legarda, of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), is Villar’s running mate.

Like NP, the other party with a complete 12-candidate slate is the Liberal Party, which has Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III as standard-bearer and Sen. Manuel Roxas II as vice presidential candidate.

In the LP’s senatorial slate are former Socio-Economic Planning secretary Ralph Recto; Sonia Roco, widow of the late senator Raul Roco; Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III; Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon; Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresa Baraquel; lawyer Alexander Lacson; former Bukidnon congressman Nereus Acosta Jr.; detained Army general Danilo Lim; Dr. Martin Bautista; Yasmin Busran-Lao, founder of Al-Mujadillah Development Foundation; former senator Franklin Drilon and former senator Serge Osmeña as guest candidate.