Disqualified bets appear before Comelec

MANILA, Philippines - Disqualified candidates made a last-ditch effort yesterday to convince the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow them to run in the 2010 elections.

Noel Aguirre, 46, who claimed to be an inventor and overseas contract worker, vowed to make a better Philippines by eliminating corruption in the government.

“I’m more qualified than Jamby, but why was she allowed to run while I was disqualified,” Aguirre said in a hearing before Comelec Commissioners Rene Sarmieto, Nicodemo Ferrer, Lucenito Tagle, Armando Velasco, Elias Yusoph and Gregorio Larrazabal.

Others presidential aspirants who went to the Comelec were Nicanor Perlas, Oliver Lozano and Mark Jimenez, and senatorial hopefuls former Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, retired police Lt. Col. Romeo Maganto, and singer Anthony Castelo. They had applied as independent candidates.

Kilusang Bagong Lipunan president Vicente Millora said Maganto and Castelo have been endorsed by his party.

Lim, on the other hand, submitted an endorsement of the Liberal Party whose standard-bearer is Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

“Things have been corrected, but I’m confident that I would be considered. We have done the necessary things to cure the deficiencies,” he told Comelec reporters.

Perlas, for his part, also believed his disqualification would be reversed, saying he enjoys not only the support of local but international organizations.

He said the Comelec had violated laws and resolutions when he was disqualified.

“They (Comelec) were saying that there’s no party, no political party... past resolutions of Comelec show that it is not a prerequisite in any election. In fact, the very definition of an independent candidate is one who is not imported by any registered political party,” Perlas explained. – Sheila Crisostomo