Gordon's nephew files candidacy for president

Gordon's nephew files candidacy for president
By Anna Valmero, Philip Tubeza
INQUIRER.net, Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:33:00 11/23/2009

Filed Under: Politics, Elections, Eleksyon 2010

MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday accepted the candidacy for presidency of John Carlos “JC” Delos Reyes, standard-bearer of Ang Kapatiran party and nephew of Senator Richard Gordon.

Delos Reyes, an Olongapo City councilor, filed his certificate of candidacy along with his running mate, Dominador Chipeco Jr. of Laguna, and his seven-man senatorial slate.

Gordon, whose sister is Delos Reyes’s mother, himself has expressed plans to join the presidential race, but has yet to submit his certificate of candidacy before the poll body.

Ang Kapatiran Party, which has been joining the election since 2004, boasts of a voters’ base of 800,000, Delos Reyes said.

Its candidates for senator are composed of social scientist and consultant Rizalito David, lawyer Jo Aurea Imbong, professor Zosimo Jesus Paredes, journalist and consumer advocate Adrian Sison, councilor and professor Reginald Tamayo, Hector Tarrazona, and former United Nations executive Manuel Valdehuesa Jr.

In filing his candidacy, Delos Reyes called for a new kind of politics
. He warned that even if the Comelec was cleaned of corruption, the electoral system would still remain rotten if voters continued to put in office traditional politicians who would use their offices to protect vested interests.

Instead of the traditional infomercials, Delos Reyes said his party will embark on a house-to-house campaign to give them a chance to deal directly with the voters, said Delos Reyes, who is serving his third term as a city councilor.

“Enough is enough. Something ought to be done to free the Filipinos from the corrupt, dirty, and unproductive political parties. We are introducing prophetic politics of personal and social transformation through our agenda that aims to cleanse the system of dynasties, gun control, and the like,” said Delos Reyes.

The 12-point program of Ang Kapatiran is anchored on serving God and country, economic reform, quality education for all, justice, and peace, said Delos Reyes.

Ang Kapatiran fielded three senatorial candidates in the 2007 elections. None of them won although their bets garnered votes reaching hundreds of thousands.

Since Friday, the Comelec has accepted candidacies of 14 for president, one for vice president, and three for senator, according to Comelec law department records.

Deadline for filing of candidacies is midnight of December 1.