The Commission on Elections (Comelec) released on Friday, Dec.24, a shorter tentative list of candidates for the national and local elections next year.
"Not yet final. Names will still be stricken off the list as the judgment in their respective cases achieve finality," Comelec spokesman James Jimenez told reporters.
In its website, Comelec uploaded the trimmed down list of national aspirants which contained 15 presidential bets, nine vice presidential bets, and 70 senatorial bets.
This is far from October's list of candidates for national positions which consisted of 97 presidential aspirants, 28 vice presidential aspirants, and 174 senatorial aspirants.
Presidential aspirants no longer on the list are Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (PDP-Laban) who withdrew his presidential bid as well as Senator Christopher "Bong" Go who also withdrew presidential bid on Dec. 14 after he withdrew from the vice presidential race as Dela Rosa's running mate on Nov. 13.
Former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Antonio Parlade Jr. who filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president on Nov. 15 is not in the list after he substituted for Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino (KDP) presidential bet Antonio Valdes, who was listed as independent. According to Comelec rules, this is not allowed as substitutions can only be made with people of the same political party.
Well-known presidential aspirants still included in the list are: Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domogoso (Aksyon Demokratiko), former National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales (Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas), labor leader Leody de Guzman (Partido Lakas ng Masa), Senator Panfilo Lacson (Partido sa Demokratikong Reporma), former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (Partido Federal ng Pilipinas), Senator Manny Pacquiao (Promdi), and Vice President Leni Robredo (Independent).
For vice presidents, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte (Lakas-CMD) is now listed including Rep. Lito Atienza (Promdi), former congressman Walden Bello (Partido Lakas ng Masa), Dr Willie Ong (Aksyon Demokratiko), Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan (Liberal Party), and Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto (Nationalist People's Coalition).
On the other hand, President Duterte is no longer listed as a senatorial candidate after he withdrew his candidacy the same day as Go while former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque is now included.
Other prominent names included in the list are: former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Baustista (Nationalist People’s Coalition), Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Chairman Greco Belgica, former Vice President Jejomar Binay (UNA), Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, Human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares, Senator Leila De Lima (Liberal Party), former taekwondo champion Monsour del Rosario, Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Former senator JV Ejercito, and Sorsogon Governor Francis "Chiz" Escudero.
Also included in the list of senatorial aspirants are former senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senator Win Gatchalian, Senator Richard Gordon, former senator Gringo Honasan, Senator Risa Hontiveros, labor leader Elmer Labog, broadcaster Rey Langit, former senator Loren Legarda, labor leader Sonny Matula, doctors Leo Olarte and Minguita Padilla, actor Robin Padilla, former presidential legal counsel Salvador “Sal” Panelo, former defense secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, former senator Antonio Trillanes, broadcaster Raffy Tulfo, Senator Joel Villanueva, former public works secretary Mark Villar, and Senator Miguel Zubiri.
A tentative list of candidates for local positions and candidates for House of Representatives was also released by the Comelec.
"Please be informed that the Tentative List Aspirants/Candidates for the May 9, 2022 National and Local Elections are based on the initial evaluation of the Certificates of Nomination, Certificates of Candidacy and Certificates of Nomination and Acceptance," the Comelec said in its website.
"Consequently, the contents of the list, particularly the names of the aspirants/candidates, political parties, as well as the name to appear on the ballot are subject to change as a result of any further evaluation and/or resolution of the Commission En Banc in relation thereto," it added.
The official list of candidates was initially set to be released on Dec. 15 but was moved "as there are still a number of unresolved nuisance cases" according to Jimenez. He added that they expect the process of finalizing the list of candidates will take at least two or three more weeks.
"In any case, aspirants become “official candidates” only at the start of the campaign period," Jimenez clarified.