Madrigal, De los Reyes file COCs at Comelec

MANILA, Philippines - Two candidates in the 2010 presidential elections filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for senator yesterday.

The first to arrive at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Intramuros, Manila was former senator Jamby Madrigal of the Liberal Party (LP).

She arrived at around 2 p.m. with her husband Eric Valade and some supporters.

Wearing an apple green blouse, Madrigal was the eighth LP candidate for senator to file her COC.

If re-elected, she would continue her advocacy for “justice, truth and transparency,” Madrigal said.

Shortly after Madrigal, former Olongapo City councilor John Carlos de los Reyes filed his COC.

De los Reyes said his Ang Kapatiran Party hopes to “champion new politics” devoid of opportunism. 

“The popularity contest is just madness,” he said. “The duplicity is just unbelievable. Our dominant political parties have bastardized politics and endorsed political opportunist candidates to the Filipino people like fighting cocks in a derby.” 

De los Reyes said their group “shuns the politics of personality, immoral compromises, and expediency.” 

“Our battle cry is simple – Tatlo Kontra sa Trapo,” he said, meaning three against traditional politics.

Two senatorial candidates of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) founded by President Ferdinand Marcos also filed their COCs yesterday.

They are Virgilio Galang, 52, an engineer from   Mabalacat, Pampanga, and Leo Cadion, 45, a businessman, of M. de la Cruz St., Pasay City.

Attached to their COCs were Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance that KBL chairman Vicente Millora had signed.

Last Monday, Marcos loyalist Oliver Lozano filed his COC through Melchor Chavez, who also lodged his own COC. The two have run and lost in past senatorial elections.

The son of a former Manila councilor, Grepor Belgica is also running for senator under the Reporma Pilipinas-Democratic Party of the Philippines, a new political party.

Belgica said he felt the need to join Congress because of the huge taxes being imposed on Filipinos.

“We will work for a simplified, one-kind, one-time tax system that will free Filipinos from oppressive excessive and unjust taxation,” he said. “Flat tax of not more than 10 percent of income, similar to 43 other countries who experience economic relief because of flat tax.” 

He intends to intensify the campaigns against drug addiction when he becomes senator, said Grecor, also a former Manila councilor. 

His father was a controversial figure more than 50 years ago after he was convicted in a celebrated homicide case at the age of 16.

The elder Belgica spent almost 12 years in prison and was released in 1976. In prison, he was involved in many religious activities as a pastor.