Senatorial slates of major political parties are incomplete

MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Despite of the large number of possible candidates in 2016 elections listed in the Commission of Elections (Comelec), many of major parties was not able to field a complete senatorial slate in the upcoming elections.

On a file provided by Comelec, not a single political party has filed in forming a 12-member senatorial line up.

There are only eight candidates registered for the Liberal Party (LP), and six for the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).

The Partido ng Manggagawa at Magsasaka of party-list Rep. Roy Señeres, who is also running for presidential post, is also fielding six senatorial bets.

Nine senatorial bets for Partido Bagong Maharlika as their political party.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada’s Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino has only two senatorial bets.

Other parties who fields senatorial candidates are Nacionalista Party, Bagumbayan, PDP-Laban, People’s Reform Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Lakas-CMD, Akbayan, and Makabayan.

The Comelec has a record of 172 candidates who filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) for senatorial slate aside from 130 presidential bets and 19 vice-presidential bets.

Over a hundred candidates registered as independent, but some opted to express their supports certain presidential candidates.

Before releasing the official candidates for May 2016 elections on December 10, the Comelec will first evaluate all the COCs.