17 senatorial hopefuls face disqualification

MANILA (Updated) -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may possibly cancel the certificate of candidacies (COC) of 17 senatorial hopefuls who did not appear in a hearing that will give them chance to defend the legitimacy of their candidacies, a top official said Thursday.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said the commission will not give another chance to those who did not appear in the first of the two-day marathon hearings they are conducting despite being formally informed.

"Those who did not come will be removed from the list, unless they can provide us with valid reason," Brillantes said.

At the end of the first day of hearing, a total of 26 individuals attended the hearing. Seventeen individuals did not attend the hearing, which could lead to them being denied chances to run for senator.

They are Rosario Bantolo, Leonardo Bula, Patrocino Cailing, Catalino Dazo, Generoso Factor, Benjamin Handumon,Jr., Edwin Jolongbayan, Ed Salam Lacan Luisong Tagean Jr., Merlito Lagata, Victor Lawag, Severo Mascuenda, Jr., Elena Mandap, Manuel Po, Marlon Rirao, Alfonso Talag, Jr., Rogelio Tomol and Ulyn Villamor.

Brillantes said the Comelec might still consider giving due course to the COCs of those who attended Thursday's hearings. Another set of COC filers are called for Friday's marathon hearings.

Those who chose to attend the hearings Thursday were not short of characters as some of them entertained the commissioners while others elected to beg for chances at running in the 2013 polls.

Among them is Daniel Magtira, whose claim to fame is his being the "husband" of presidential sister and celebrity Kris Aquino.

Magtira told the Comelec that he wants to run for senator since there is a need for the Senate to see new faces instead of the traditional ones.

"Ang dapat tanggalin na silang lahat e. Palitan sana lahat ng bago," said Magtira.

He said he does not really need to become a senator since he can earn as much as P2 million per day from singing but that his desire for bringing change to the country weighs more.

"Pag napunta ako sa Senado, wala silang sinabi sa akin sa kantahan," said Magtira, whose occupation is listed as "Talentadong Pinoy TV5," which is a reality talent show of TV5 network.

For his part, Eduardo Syamasundar-Das Fernandez begged the Comelec en banc for them to allow him to run for senator.

"Handa po ako lumuhod sa inyo payagan lamang po ninyo ako tumakbo bilang senador," said Fernandez.

He said he wants to run in good faith since he wants to help the impoverished sector of the country.

"If I become a senator, I will not accept my salary since I already have pension. Instead, ibibigay ko na lang po ito sa mga tao," said Fernandez.

To note, the Comelec had already agreed to give due course to the COCs for the position of senator to 27 aspirants.

Eighty-four individuals had filed their COCs for senator earlier this month at the Comelec main office in Intramuros, Manila. (HDT/Sunnex)