Laughter and rest as poll officials screen 'colorful' candidates

It was a day of laughter and rest for Commission on Elections (Comelec) officials on Thursday — even when they were still working for the conduct of another automated elections next year. As mandated by law, Comelec officials sat and listened to several unlikely senatorial aspirants — from a self-proclaimed brother-in-law of President Benigno Aquino III to one who promised to appoint “acting little presidents" to the country’s three largest islands once — justify why the poll body should not consider them as nuisance candidates. “Ang totoo dyan, pahinga lang namin ‘to ng kaunti,” Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told reporters in an interview after hearing the more than two dozen candidates defend their candidacy. “Nagpapasaya nga kami rito. Para malibang ng kaunti.” The Omnibus Election Code requires that prospective candidates must undergo due process before they can be regarded as nuisance or not. “Required ng batas itong due process. We cannot just cancel [their candidacy]. You cannot just say no. You have to give a reason why you’re saying no,” said Brillantes, who had earlier described these candidates as "colorful." According to Comelec Resolution No. 8678, a nuisance candidate is one who “put[s] the election process in mockery or disrepute; cause[s] confusion among the voters by the similarity of names of registered candidates; or one who has no bona fide intention to run for the office."   Some who took the podium elicited laughter from the audience and even the commissioners, but still there are those who defended their senatorial bids seriously. PNoy’s “brother-in-law” Daniel Magtira – who wrote in his certificate of candidacy (COC) that he is the husband of TV personality Kris Aquino – again affirmed his marriage with the popular media personality. “Ako po ay asawa ni Kris Aquino. Bayaw po ako ng pangulo,” Magtira said upon taking the podium. He said President Aquino, Kris’ brother, has yet to approve of their “marriage.” “Kasi ayaw pa po niya pakasal muna kami,” Magtira told Comelec officials. Asked by Brillantes about his platform of governance, Magtira said: “Ang aking sinusulong na batas ay pantay-pantay at patas para sa bawat isa sa atin.” When Magtira said he was a resident of Antipolo Street, Brillantes quipped. “Lumaki rin ako sa Antipolo Street, nagtatapon ng tansan sa riles.” To which Magtira responded: “Nagkaroon po ako ng shooting na kinakanta ko ‘yung theme song namin ni Kris Aquino.” This elicited laughter even from the Comelec chief. An unlikely profession Meanwhile, another candidate, Pepito Salangsang, complained that he was late for his hearing with the Ombudsman due to the Comelec hearing. “Late na po ako sa Ombudsman nang isang oras at late na po ako kay Heidi Mendoza,” he said, referring to the commissioner of the Commission on Audit. Armed with folders containing "evidence" for his complaints, Salangsang said he filed cases against both government agencies and private companies, which include the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Health, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Nestle Philippines, Magnolia, and Tropical, for various offenses. When Commissioner Rene Sarmiento grilled him about his profession – which Salangsang wrote “not applicable” on his COC – he responded: “Wala po akong hanapbuhay kundi magdemanda ng mali ng gobyerno.” Salangsang, in the end, decided to withdraw his senatorial bid. “Ako po ay lalabas rito na kakanselahin ang aking candidacy,” he said. “Kung kakanselahin nyo ang aking kandidatura… sana makarating [ang aking mga kaso] sa presidente.” When Salangsang asked where he should cancel his senatorial bid, Brillantes responded: “Huwag niyo na po kanselahin. Paubaya niyo na po sa amin.” Little presidents As for Daniel Espinosa – who indicated during the filing of COC that he planned to connect the NLEX and SLEX in a major road project he called EDSALEX – he said he intends to appoint “acting little presidents” on the country’s three major island groups.   “Hihingilin ko sa pangulo na magkaroon ng acting little president. Sa Luzon, sa Visayas at sa Mindanao. ‘Yun ang una ko pong pangunahing isusulong na batas,” he said. Among the serious ones, however, was businessman Ricardo Penson, who was president and CEO of Ausphil Tollways Corporation, the proponent of the North Luzon East Expressway Project.   “I think we lost a bit of momentum. ‘Yung natutunan ko sa pribadong sector, gusto ko gawin namin (sa Senado),” he told Comelec officials. Asked by Brillantes on why he is going to government from the public sector, the CEO said: “I cannot even enjoy the success that I attained because there are so many people in our country [who are] hurting.” Brillantes later told reporters that he regarded Penson as the only senatorial hopeful who can be regarded as a candidate next year. First openly gay senatorial candidate Meanwhile, Carlito Ning said he is planning to legalize same sex marriage in the Philippines. Asked by Sarmiento why is he proposing such a plan in a predominantly Catholic country, Ning said: “I would like to say that I am the first openly gay senatorial candidate.” “Ina-anticipate ko na po na marami pong sasalungat sa sinabi kong ito… pero kung marginalized sector ang pag-uusapan natin sila po ang marginalized sector dahil they are treated as third class citizens of the country,” Ning said, referring to the gay community.   Of the 43 prospective candidates called by the Comelec to justify their candidacy on Thursday, 16 failed to show up in the hearing. — KBK, GMA News