Ex-‘Cory general,’ Ramon Montaño, is last to file a COC for the 2016 polls

With sighs of relief, everyone was ready to call it a day as the clocked ticked past 5 p.m. at the Commission on Elections office in Manila on Friday, the last day of filling certificates of candidacy for the 2016 elections.

But it turned out that there was one last aspirant who was able to file his COC just moments before the deadline, and he was now ready to speak to the press.

Gingerly, a gray-looking retired general Ramon Montaño made his way the stage, unmindful that only a few people wanted to talk to him.

The 78-year-old's quiet voice amplified by the speakers, Montaño said he was running for the Senate because he wanted a program for retired and "forgotten" generals and other uniformed men. He also would like to "articulate the sense or the nonsense of the Senate."

Montaño also ran for the Senate in 2013. This time around, the retired general, who became chief of the Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police, is one of the 172 aspirants who filed COCs during the period scheduled by the Comelec from October 12 to 16.

Despite his age, he told GMA News Online that he could still carry on in this, the final national campaign of his life. "Kaya pa. Kaya pa. Pero meron nang aakay sa akin!" he laughingly jested.

"Marami akong support group... Si Gen. (former President Fidel V.) Ramos, kasama, of course. All this time naman magkasama kami," he added. "'Yung retired generals, 'yung 'Cory Generals' na lumaban for (late President Cory) Aquino before, kaso nakalimutan na. Nakalimutan na kami nila. Sila ang tutulong sa akin... Kahit matanda na tayo, okay lang."

Nevertheless, Montaño admitted that the 2016 polls, would be his “final hurrah, my final battle, to the Senate," he said.

"Because if I wait six years, ano, 80 plus na? Wala na," he explained.

He added that he wanted to spend that time with his family, having lost his wife, Fe, and their youngest daughter.,"'Yung dalawang anak ko, okay na, may mga anak na," he said, smiling. "Marami, marami akong apo." — DVM, GMA News