Lakas, NP senatorial bets among last-minute COC filers

A lawyer who led a signature campaign to amend the 1987 Constitution from the ruling party and a former representative of Cavite province from the Nacionalista Party were among the last ones to file their certificates of candidacy for national posts as the schedule for COC filing drew to a close Tuesday midnight. Lawyer Raul Lambino, who pushed for a people’s initiative to change the current Constitution in 2006, filed his COC under the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD at the Commission on Elections main office in Manila at about 10:30 p.m. Lambino said he was one of the last-minute addition to the administration party’s senatorial slate. “Actually, hindi ko talaga inasam o hindi talaga ako nag-apply para maging kandidato (Actually, I did not aspire or apply for this candidacy)," he said after filing his COC. The lawyer said he will continue his “advocacy" to change the 1987 Constitution if he becomes senator. “Structural reforms to our current set-up will only be attained if we change the antiquated 1987 Constitution," he said. Nacionalista Party (NP) spokesperson and former Cavite representative Gilbert Remulla was also one of the last-minute addition to the party's senatorial line-up after he filed his COC for senator at about 11 p.m. Tuesday. “It’s better late than next year. With this filing, I hope to meet success in the next five months," he said. Remulla vowed to focus on poverty alleviation and environmental protection if elected to the Senate. “We will continue our advocacy to fight poverty in this country, together with our standard-bearer, Sen. Manny Villar," he said. The 11-day period for filing of COCs at the Comelec main office closed Tuesday midnight with a total of 99 presidential aspirants, 20 vice-presidential hopefuls and 158 senatorial candidates. - LBG, GMANews.TV