Osmeña, Guingona seeking re-election

MANILA, Philippines - Re-electionists Sergio Osmeña III and Teofisto Guingona III led candidates for the Senate that filed their respective certificates of candidacy (COCs) at the Commission on Elections in Intramuros, Manila yesterday, the fourth day of filing.

Osmeña said he would run as an independent but will not join the senatorial lineup of independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe.

He earlier hinted that he would support Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte if he decides to run for president.

Duterte, however, filed yesterday at the Comelec office in Davao City his COC to seek re-election as city mayor.

Osmeña said he is not likely to accept Poe’s offer to be part of their lineup since he was not even consulted by the senator and her running mate Sen. Francis Escudero.

Guingona, who belongs to the administration Liberal Party (LP) Senate slate, filed his COC accompanied by his father, former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr.

Former justice secretary Leila de Lima yesterday filed her COC backed by election lawyers led by former Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes.

“This is it, there’s no turning back. Let’s continue to my next journey, from point J to point S. I hope the public will trust me, the way they trusted me as secretary of justice,” De Lima, a former election lawyer, said, referring to her transition from the DOJ to the Senate.

De Lima, a candidate of the LP, also flashed an open palm, her campaign symbol. “This means Lima para kay (five for) De Lima.”

She added her main agenda focuses on justice and rule of law, anti-corruption and human rights. 

Department of the Interior and Local Government assistant secretary Nariman Ambolodto and COOP-NATCCO party-list Rep. Cresente Paez filed their COCs, both as senatorial bets of the LP.

“I am running for senator because we believe that the cooperative sector and other marginalized groups need a voice in the Senate,” Paez said in a statement.

Prominent lawyer Lorna Kapunan also arrived at the Comelec and filed her COC for senator as a candidate of the Aksyon Demokratiko party.

Kapunan said she would be part of the senatorial slate of Poe.

Allan Montaño, a senatorial aspirant of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), also filed his COC.

Jueteng whistle-blower Sandra Cam filed yesterday her COC for senator. – With Evelyn Macairan, Christina Mendez