Majority of Philippines presidential candidates are fit for the madhouse, critics say

Manila: Majority of the 130 presidential candidates who filed their certificates of candidacy have been described as “candidates for the madhouse” and lunatics who offered entertainment to those with a sense of humour, and disgust among serious voters who wanted sense and sensibility to prevail in the 2016 polls.

Many self-anointed Christian but ludicrous candidates alternately invoked demons and angels in their political ambitions.

“God is in my side. His unlimited power will guide me as president,” said presidential aspirant Marita Arila. Her companions said “Amen” to all her spiritual statements about politics.

Farmer Alfredo Tindugan, 75, cherished himself as the only one who could establish the “first “divine government in the Philippines”.

Businessman Juanito Luna, 62, called himself a “perfect instrument for a much needed spirit-filled leadership,” adding he has the power to “cast out demons in Philippine democracy”.

Romeo John Ygonia, a missionary, alternately called himself “the fallen Archangel Lucifer with a mission on earth;” and “someone with a [good] master in my heart”.

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A swastika-bearing aspirant said he would rise as the country’s “strongest president”.

In a Superman outfit, Earl Christian Ansan, an aviation technician, called himself Captain Robotron with “close ties with the late Al Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden”.

Former accountant Leonardo Dumlao promised that majority of poor Filipinos would all become millionaires during his watch.

Danilo Lihay-Lihay revealed having earned 17 trillion pesos (Dh1.4 trillion) as a crime buster and an informant against former President Ferdinand Marcos — which resulted in the alleged recovery of the latter’s ill-gotten wealth.

“If I win. I will donate what I earned to the Philippine government to eradicate poverty and pay the country’s foreign and local debts,” he promised.

Seeking an answer why the antics of nuisance candidates are permitted every six years, before every presidential poll, columnist Floro Mercene of Bulletin said, “According to our Constitution, anyone who can read and write, a natural born citizen, and has 10 years of residency can run for the presidency. But any employer demands that a janitor should be a high school graduate.”

True and sincere candidates

“Our country treats everything like a fiesta or a circus,” said Mercene, adding the Commission on Elections was entertained during the five days of filing of certificates of candidacy that ended late Friday.

Serious voters in search of “true and sincere candidates of the people and for the people” easily criticised traditional politicians or “trapo,” which, in Filipino, means dirty rugs.

“But those who are seeking for the ideal or alternative candidate must be dreaming if they are in the Philippines. Elections are really more fun here,” said student Christine Nepomuceno, who is credited with the tourism department’s advertisement: “It’s more fun in the Philippines”.