Candidates, joined by their supporters, wait for their turn to file their certificate of candidacy at the Manila Hotel Tent City in this photo taken on the first day of filing of COCs on October 1, 2024.
MANILA, Philippines — The first day of filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 midterm elections on Tuesday saw familiar faces, with the usual fare of incumbents seeking reelection and perennial candidates previously deemed by the Commission of Elections (Comelec) as nuisance.
As of posting, Comelec said about a dozen aspirants filed their COC for senator, while a number of party-list representatives filed the certificate of nomination and acceptance (Cona) of their group at the Manila Hotel Tent City.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco noted that the filing of COC and Cona in Manila and other areas nationwide are peaceful and orderly, albeit a bit slow.
“Although not too many tendered their COCs and Conas, this is a normal situation for Day 1,” Laudiangco told INQUIRER.net in a text message.
Journey from House to Senate and reelections
Agri Rep. Wilbert Lee made it to a point of being the first aspirant to lodge his COC for senator at around 8:00 a.m.
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For Cona filing, Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo was the first to do so.
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Several dozen supporters of Lee, who was carrying placards and signs outside the filing area on Tuesday morning, but the situation outside was otherwise uneventful.
So far, Senator Francis Tolentino is the sole Senate reelectionist who filed COC on the first day, while the Cona of Buhay and Bayan Muna also filed their Cona for a House comeback bid. Former presidential candidate Jose Montemayor Jr., who lodged a COC for senator, expressed confidence that he would make it this time.
READ: Senator Francis Tolentino seeks reelection
Several personalities—with some previously deemed as nuisance candidates for having insufficient political machinery—added color to what should be a sincere event.
A certain Daniel Magtira, who claimed to be actress Kris Aquino’s husband and a fiancé of Sen. Imee Marcos, filed his COC for senator.
On the podium, Magtira also belted out a tune of his own composition, which he dedicated to Senator Marcos, drawing suppressed laughter among the audience.
Sans political machinery
A security guard and an electrician also filed their COC to formalize their bid to join the country’s upper chamber.
Security personnel Phil delos Reyes filed candidacy once more, to advance the rights of his fellow security guards. He was declared a nuisance when he ran for senator in the 2022 elections.
Alexander Encarnacion, an electrician and a carpenter, promised to put into use his invention which could monitor all crimes once elected.
Encarnacion ran as senator for 2019 midterm polls, and as president in 2022 presidential polls, but Comelec declared him a nuisance candidate in both instances.
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“Wala po akong pera, eh (I don’t have money),” he said as to why he was declared a nuisance candidate. “They said I don’t have the capacity to launch a nationwide campaign.”
