MANILA, Philippines – An unidentified senatorial aspirant collapsed inside the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros, which houses the Commission on Elections (Comelec), before he could file his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Tuesday, October 16.

A senior citizen, the senatorial aspirant was rushed to the hospital, said Director Frances Arabe of the Comelec’s Education and Information Department in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

“Apparently there was a senior citizen who tried to file his certificate of candidacy for senator. We are yet to get the name of the person, and the status of his condition. He collapsed at the ground floor of the Palacio del Gobernador, and he was immediately attended to by the Red Cross team and was brought to the Manila Doctors,” Arabe said.

On the circumstances of the person’s collapse, Arabe said: “He entered at the usual entrance and then he collapsed at the lobby. However, he was not accompanied by anybody.”

Arabe said the person is still in the hospital “as far as we know,” as of around 5 pm on Tuesday.

The Comelec said at least 104 individuals have filed COCs for senator so far. While the usual names in politics filed their COCs, the COC filers also included virtual unknowns, such as a man who calls himself the “King of Maharlika” and another who claimed he was a husband of actress Kris Aquino.

Wednesday, October 17, is the last day of COC filing this year.

Asked what to expect on Wednesday, Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said, “More people to come.” – Rappler.com