‘Large number of bets sign of inept government’

MANILA, Philippines - The record number of people that filed their certificate of candidacy (COC) to run in the elections is not a sign of a vibrant democracy but of dissatisfaction over government’s ineptness.

The urban poor group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) yesterday said many ordinary people filed their COCs because they are fed up with the Aquino administration.

KADAMAY president Gloria Arellano said in a statement that the government committed many mistakes such that ordinary people want to run in the polls to lead the nation.

Arellano said the large number of candidates also indicated the lack of credibility and weakness of the administration party’s candidates.

She said reports of killings and harassment of urban poor leaders in the past five years disputed President Aquino’s so-called “daang matuwid” governance.

In fact, Arellano said, Aquino’s inability to fulfill his promise of “daang matuwid” encouraged ordinary people to enter politics.

A total of 130 candidates filed COCs for president, 19 for vice president and 172 for senators.

The bulk of those who filed their COCs were ordinary people or unknown candidates.

Former Philippine National Police-Special Action Force chief Getulio Napeñas and several other former military officials also filed their COCs.

Napeñas said he decided to run in the senatorial elections because the government failed to give justice to the 44 SAF commandos killed during the encounter with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

KADAMAY said they would continue to expose irregularities under Aquino’s watch and work to put those involved behind bars.