The Senate race is on!

The show is on! Today is the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the May 14 Senate elections. And as provided by law, under the Omnibus Election Code, all government offices are not allowed to implement any reshuffle, promotion, or suspension of any government official or personnel effective today. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Benjamin Abalos issued this reminder to all government officials concerned.

This was why there were a lot of rumors and reports of "alleged midnight orders" of suspension of this and that governor or mayor on orders of either the Office of the Ombudsman or the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG), or by the Office of the President. A number of governors and mayors were either suspended or dismissed from office by the DILG and a lot of pending promotions in the police and in the military, on the other hand, were finally approved and released over the weekend.

Senatorial wannabes have until Feb.12 to file their individual certificates of candidacy. Those who want to run in the congressional race and local elective posts can, if they wish already by this time, file their certificates of candidacy. All prospective candidates for seats in the House of Representatives and other local posts have until March 29 to file their certificates of candidacy with the Comelec. Historically, Abalos admitted, politicians wait until the deadline to file their candidacies to enable them to skirt around the laws against electioneering activities. Because under our existing election laws, the Comelec can only acquire jurisdiction against such offenses if the concerned politician has already filed his or her certificate of candidacy.

As early birds troop to Comelec starting today to file their certificate of candidacy, the administration’s Senatorial list is getting shorter by the day. Last week, pro-administration Congressmen Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (NPC, Tarlac) and Prospero Nograles (Lakas, Davao) have begged off from being included in the administration coalition’s Senate slate. Nograles, incumbent House majority leader, would rather run for re-election in Congress. Teodoro’s partymates from the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) have endorsed him to President Arroyo to appoint him as her new Defense Secretary. Two fellow NPC members are already in the Arroyo Cabinet –Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus.

From the ranks of the Arroyo Cabinet, Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando and Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes have declared one after the other their respective desires to stay in the Executive Branch. Third term Manila Mayor Lito Atienza also announced he declined to be drafted in the 12-man Senate of the administration coalition slate. Atienza, who heads the Liberal Party wing in alliance with the Arroyo administration and strong supporter for Charter Change (Cha-cha), is reportedly being groomed to assume a key post at the Palace.

Also begging off from the Senate race is my dear friend, former Labor undersecretary Susan "Toots" Ople. Toots admitted she’s not yet prepared financially to bankroll her Senate bid. Toots had the best on-the-job political training one can ever had when she worked as Chief of Staff of her late father, Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople. For now, she has accepted to work as Chief of Staff of Sen.Mar Roxas II.

While others don’t want to be drafted in the administration’s Senate slate, Ilocos Sur Gov.Luis "Chavit" Singson announced his interest to accede to the endorsement given to President Arroyo by the Governors’ League of the Philippines, where he is the chairman, to include him in the Senatorial race.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo is still trying to convince her good friend, Manay Gina de Venecia, wife of Speaker Jose de Venecia, to join her Senate slate. Since she lost her daughter K.C. to the fire that razed down their Dasmariñas residence two years ago, Manay Gina has refocused her attention away from her personal grief into active advocacy for the empowerment of disadvantaged and abused women as well as underprivileged children. Manay Gina told me she is still weighing her options although her children have expressed their support to this new challenge that would enable her to pursue her advocacy in the Senate. "Let’s see where destiny will lead me. In this life, we can only do our best and the rest, we leave to God and destiny," she texted me.

Another friend, Ma. Lourdes Lilia "Maloli" Espinosa, vice president for government corporate affairs and public relations personnel of ABS-CBN, is throwing her hat in the congressional race. She is one brave woman whose clan in Masbate is being wiped out one by one by their political rivals in the province. Her late father, former Congressman Moises Espinosa Sr. was assassinated in Masbate in 1989. Six years later, her brother Congressman Tito Espinosa was fatally ambushed at the Congressional Road in Quezon City. In 2001, Maloli’s brother, Masbate City Mayor Moises Espinosa Jr., barely 40 days after being sworn into office, was gunned down while attending a fiesta. Maloli is undeterred by this family tragedy and violent deaths of their clan members. Maloli wants to bring to Congress her former TV network’s blurb "In the Service of the Filipino!"

The election "gun ban" already took effect yesterday. Hopefully, this is a measure intended to curb political violence during the election season, which would help curb election-related violence and crimes. This will remain in effect until June 13. Abalos warned politicians and their personal security staff that they are prohibited from carrying firearms during this period.

This early, President Arroyo must fill up soon the lone vacancy at the seven-man Comelec. Actually, there is not much problem on this score because there are a lot aspirants being considered for the post. To date, though, there is no short list yet being made public by the Palace.

The poll body has lost much credibility after that "Hello Garci" scandal that tainted the May 2004 presidential elections. The scandal almost got the President impeached not just once but twice in Congress. Maybe that should be the basic guide for the Chief Executive in her choice of a new Comelec commissioner, one who will not get her into another election scandal.

So far, Abalos particularly noted with satisfaction, that there has been no calls to "boycott" the coming May, polls. Obviously trying to make a positive spin for the poll body, Abalos credited this as a sign or vote of confidence to the Comelec. Whatever.

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