MANILA - Only 1 would-be candidate has filed a certificate of candidacy to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Sunday in contrast to the first 2 days when several individuals filed their respective COC either for president or senator for the 2010 elections.

40-year-old Alicman Ali is the first person to file a certificate of candidacy for vice president. Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

Alicman Ali was the only one who filed his COC. He however held the distinction in becoming the first to file a COC for the vice presidential post in the 2010 elections.

Ali said he has no running mate and does not belong to any party.

When asked why he wanted to run, Ali said: “Dahil kagustuhan ko at qualification ko para may magawa akong progress at development… Lahat ng problema kakayanin ko."

He said he would running on a platform for the country’s development. He said that he would be asking other countries such as Brunei and Malaysia to help the Philippines develop.

Ali also said he can stop the conflict in Mindanao.

"Kaya kong pahintuin ang away/bakbakan ng mga tao doon sa Mindanao," said the aspiring vice presidential candidate. "Sa pangalan kong Alicman, Ali, kilala ako ng taumbayan. May spirit naman tayo, alam natin ang katotohanan," he added.

Queries

Aside from Ali, only individuals who had queries to the Comelec came.

73-year-old Manny Lopez was one. Another was Jose Isabelo Leuterio who is also reportedly eyeing a presidential bid.

Lopez of Camarines Sur said he came to inquire about the requirements for running for a national position. He said however that he is still undecided on which position to vie for. He said that he is willing to run for president, vice president, senator, or congressman, or as he said it: "Whatever!"

Lopez said he belongs to a coalition called the People Power Party and boasted of an intensive economic background after having studied in universities in Germany and the Netherlands.

He said he plans to file his COC on the last day of the filing period, December 1, alongside big political figures who are expected to file their on that date.

As of Saturday, the poll body had received the COCs of 14 individuals for president and 3 for senator.

Commissioner Gregorio Larazzabal had earlier said that candidates know that the weekend is not a good time to file because “they know there’s less media attention.”

He also said candidates understandably would prefer filing their COCs toward the deadline so they can “maximize the time they can run their ads.”

According to a Comelec rule, a candidate who will run advertisements or go around to promote himself between his filing of COC and the start of the official campaign period may be charged with premature campaigning and disqualified from the 2010 polls.

Larazzabal said that the Comelec is expecting a deluge of applicants toward December 1, the last day for filing of COCs. He gave assurances that Comelec offices will be prepared for that.

Unknown—and unusual—aspirants made up the majority of those who flocked to the Comelec central office on Friday, the first day for the filing of COCs for national positions.

Not everyone who filed their respective COC would however be declared a candidate for the 2010 elections.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez had said that the final list of candidates will be released by the end of December. Those considered nuisance will be called to a hearing. “They will be given the opportunity to bolster their claim of eligibility.”

Comelec will be particular with nuisance candidates who will be “making a mockery of the election process. Comelec commissioner Rene Sarmiento defines nuisance candidates as those who will bear the same name of other candidates “as to create confusion among voting public,” and those with no machineries and capacity to stage a campaign.

Erap on Nov. 30

Former president Joseph Estrada announced Sunday that he is filing his certificate of candidacy (CoC) for president on November 30 to coincide with the country's commemoration of Bonifacio Day.

Estrada made the announcement during the inauguration of the Makati track and field oval Sunday morning. Estrada ran the entire track with Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, his running mate in the 2010 national elections.

The ousted president said he and Binay will go to the main office of the Comelec in Intramuros, Manila around noon. Estrada and Binay will reportedly ride a jeepney from Liwasang Bonifacio to Intramuros when they file their CoCs.

Estrada earlier announced that he would file his CoC on November 27, but decided to move it to November 30. He said November 30 is significant because the country is commemorating the birth of one of the country’s heroes, Andres Bonifacio.

Liberal Party (LP) candidates meanwhile will be filing their COCs on November 28.

Quezon 4th district Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada, LP spokesperson, told the Balitaan sa Tinapayan Forum Sunday that Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, LP candidates for president and vice president respectively, would lead the LP candidates in filing their respective COCs on that day.

Reginald Velasco, Lakas-Kami CMD deputy secretary general meanwhile said that the administration party’s candidates would probably file their respective COCs either on November 30 or December 1.

Sen. Manuel Villar’s Nacionalista Party slate would reportedly file on December 1.

19 party-list groups meanwhile, as of Saturday have registered their intent to participate in the 2010 party-list elections. With reports from Ryan Chua and Zyann Ambrosiio, ABS-CBN News