MANILA — The number of aspirants for a Senate seat in the mid-term polls next year breached the 100th mark on the fourth day of the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Manila.
Businessman Leo Cadion registered on Tuesday as the 100th filer for the senatorial race, running under the Philippine Green Republic Party.
Comelec Education and Information Department (EID) Director Frances Arabe said a total of 104 senatorial aspirants have filed their COCs as of Oct. 16.
On Tuesday, a total of 41 COCs for senator were filed with the poll body, she added.
The filing period started last October 11 and will end on Oct. 17.
Among the prominent personalities seeking a new term in the Senate include Mar Roxas, Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Ponce Enrile, who is running as an independent candidate.
Of the four, Enrile is the only one who did not personally file his COC as it was brought to the Comelec office by his authorized representative, lawyer Joseph Sagandoy.
The former senator’s COC, which earlier indicated that his occupation is “businesswoman”, has been corrected to “businessman”.
Re-electionist Senator Bam Aquino also filed his COC.
Other filers for Senate seats are Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, former Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada, and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno.
Meanwhile, a total of 115 party-list groups have filed their respective Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) since the start of the filing period.
On Tuesday, the Comelec has received the CONA from 45 groups.
On the other hand, a senior citizen, who was reportedly planning to file COC for senator, collapsed at the ground floor of the Palacio del Gobernador, where the Comelec main office is located. The 61-year-old man was immediately rushed to the Manila Medical Center on UN Avenue.
In a related development, Arabe said they will be accepting COCs and CONAs until 5 p.m. Wednesday.
She added that they will observe the 30-meter radius before the deadline, as they will allow those in the area to file COCs beyond 5 p.m.
“We will be closing the gate at exactly 5 p.m.,” she said. ( Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
