The number of presidential aspirants for the 2022 elections decreased significantly after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) removed names of nuisance candidates on its tentative list of candidates for the May 9, 2022 vote.

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From 97 people who filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) back in October, there were only 15 aspirants for the country’s top post as of Thursday, December 23.

In alphabetical order, they are:

1. Ernesto Abella, former presidential spokesman
2. Hilario Andes
3. Gerald Arcega
4. Leody de Guzman, labor leader
5. Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso
6. Norberto Gonzales, former defense chief
7. Senator Ping Lacson
8. Danilo Lihaylihay
9. Faisal Mangondato
10. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., dictator’s son and former senator
11. Maria Aurora Marcos
12. Jose Montemayor Jr.
13. Edgar Niez
14. Senator Manny Pacquiao
15. Vice President Leni Robredo

Some quick observations from this list:

• Former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict spokesman and infamous red-tagger Antonio Parlade Jr. is not on the December 23 list. He filed for substitution in November, but the candidate he sought to replace was running independently, and had no right of substitution.
• As there are at least six unresolved cases against Marcos Jr., it is expected that his name won’t be removed from the list.
• There could be two Marcoses on the ballot if Maria Aurora makes it to the final list.
• Danilo Lihaylihay, who was declared a nuisance candidate in 2016, is still in the running. He filed a petition to declare Marcos Jr. a nuisance candidate, but it was dismissed by the Comelec’s 2nd Division.
• Senator Christopher “Bong” Go is no longer on this list after withdrawing from the race on December 14.

Vice presidential aspirants, senatorial bets

The number of vice presidential aspirants has also been reduced from 27 to 9. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who filed for substitution on November 13, is already part of the lineup.

The list includes:

1. Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza
2. Walden Bello, former congressman
3. Rizalito David
4. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio
5. Manny Lopez
6. Willie Ong, physician
7. Senator Francis Pangilinan
8. Carlos Serapio
9. Senate President Vicente Sotto III

There are, meanwhile, now 70 senatorial aspirants, down from 174 filers in October. President Duterte, who withdrew his candidacy on December 14, is no longer part of the list.

The full list can be accessed below:

The Comelec was supposed to issue the final list of candidates on December 15, but the poll body delayed the release “by at least two more weeks” due to “a number of unresolved nuisance cases.”

On Monday, December 27, Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body targets to release the final list of candidates by January 7, 2022. – Rappler.com