27 of 84 Senate hopefuls get Comelec nod

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has given the go signal for 27 senatorial candidates to run in the May 2013 elections.

In a 16-page resolution, the Comelec yesterday said 27 of 84 aspirants who filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) are qualified, while 57 others still need to justify their intention to run for senator. 

The 27 senatorial candidates are: Ana Theresia Hontiveros of Akbayan; John Carlos de los Reyes, Marwil Llasos, and Rizalito David, Ang Kapatiran; Juan Edgardo Angara, Laban; Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Maria Ana Consuelo Madrigal, and Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Liberal Party; Teodoro Casiño, Makabayan; Alan Peter Cayetano, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Cynthia Villar, Nacionalista Party; Juan Ponce Enrile Jr. and Lorna Regina Legarda, Nationalist People’s Coalition; Aquilino Martin Pimentel III, PDP-Laban; Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, Margarita Cojuangco, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Richard Gordon, Gregorio Honasan, Ernesto Maceda, Maria Milagros Esperanza Magsaysay, and Juan Miguel Zubiri, UNA; Francis Joseph Escudero, Mary Grace Llamanzares, Edward Hagedorn, and Ramon Montao, independent candidates.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez clarified that the 27 are just the initial batch of qualified aspirants and the poll body is yet to come out with the full official list. “Remember the deadline for the filing of motion for disqualification or petition to deny due course is not yet over,” he said.

“We have to wait for the deadline in filing of substitute because some of the candidates may still decide to withdraw.”

Comelec gave all candidates until Dec. 21 to decide whether they are pushing through with their plan to run in the May 2013 polls.

Meanwhile, the Comelec set the hearings for the 57 others who filed their COCs for senator on Oct. 18 and 19 to justify the legitimacy of their candidacies.