The political circus in the past few days, involving President Rodrigo Duterte's family and their allies, showed how selfish interests obscure whatever good intentions they may have in seeking public office and how low they regard voters.
Twenty-seven days after Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), a group of civic leaders asked the poll body to cancel it for making “material false representations” on his “alleged eligibility to run” for the presidency in the 2022 elections.
Contrary to a report by One News, a television news channel under cable provider Cignal TV, retired Supreme Court (SC) associate justice Antonio Carpio did not and “has no plans to file” a petition at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the disqualification of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as candidate for president in the 2022 elections.
From declaring that “[he] will only run” for a seat in the Senate in the 2022 elections under the slate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio should she join the presidential race, Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque now says he may vie for a Senate slot after all “to prove that the people support [him].”
Magnanakaw! Mandaraya! Sinungaling!! Mamamatay-tao! What else have you heard said about the politician you love to hate? All of the above, and more - and if you’ve lived long enough like me, you will surely have a long list of epithets that you hear over and over again, every three years or so, part of what makes our electoral process so colorful.
Last minute switching of political color and affiliation in the first week of October made it more obvious that political parties and ideologies have become of little consequence in Philippine elections.
Of all the declared candidates for President - as of this writing at least - I am most interested on two - Vice President Leni Robredo, and Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso.
Because of relentless mudslinging, name-calling and fearmongering even before the campaign season begins, voters don't really get to be offered a good choice of candidates vying for public office.
Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo revealed Friday the names of 11 candidates on her senatorial ticket for the 2022 national elections where she is vying for the highest public office in the country.
Some 572 aspirants vying for national positions in the 2022 elections filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) from Oct. 1 to 8 at the Garden Tent, Hotel Sofitel in Pasay City.