'Marcos heir' seeking Senate seat vows free rice for all Filipinos

A self-confessed rich man on Wednesday filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator for Eleksyon 2025, saying he can provide free rice to Filipinos as an "heir" of the family of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

Eric Negapatan, who filed his COC with a few supporters, said his wealth was given to him by Josefa Edralin, the grandmother of President Marcos, Jr.

“Iniwan sa akin ni Doña Josefa Edralin Marcos. I’m the heir of the Malayan bank, Malayan insurance, Malayan independent tax corporation. Ako po ay isa sa eredero, iniwan sa akin ang mga pagpapalang ito. Ako ang boy nila sa Batac [Ilocos Norte]. Sanggol pa lang ako inampon na ako si Doña Josefa. Lahat ito iniwan sa akin, pero nung naging Presidente si Bongbong Marcos, binigay ko sa kanya,” Negapatan said.

(These riches were left to me. I was the sole hair, I was endowed with these blessings. I served them in Batac, and I was adopted by Doña Josefa since I was baby. But when Bongbong Marcos became president, I gave him the inheritance.)

“Kaso noong ibinigay ko sa kanya [ang yaman], nakalimutan niya iyong mga code,. Pero ibinigay ko sa kanya ito para gamitin sa more than 100 million families. Hindi Marcos ang iniligay sa bangko [kasi] kung ito ay Marcos, nakuha na ito ng PCGG,” Negapatan added.

(When I gave him the riches, he forgot the code, but I gave it to him for the benefit of 100 million families. It was not under Marcos name because otherwise, PCGG would have seized it.)

PCGG is the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), the government agency tasked to recover the ill-gotten wealth of late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., his family, and his associates during Marcos Sr.’s regime from 1965 to 1986.

The funding for free rice, he said, will be sourced from this inheritance.

“[Kapag ako ay nanalo]. Wala na pong bibili ng bigas sapagkat kausap ko po lahat ng mga hari ng mga bansa, na ang lahat ng mga bagay, na itong kinuha ko po ang sovereignty ng Pilipinas sa lahat ng mga bansa,” Negapatan added.

(If I win, nobody will buy rice anymore. Because I have talked to the kings of all countries, and I got our sovereignty back.)

Legacy for marginalized groups’ rights

Also on Wednesday, community leader Senen Asis Jerez filed his certificate of nomination and acceptance (CONA) as a nominee of Pamana party-list.

“Sa loob ng 30 taon, ako po ay pumupunta sa mga kabukiran, kanayunan, at aking nakakausap ang mga maliit na magsasaka, mangingisda at kinatawan ng tribo. Ninanais po namin na magkaroon ng representasyon ng mga sektor na ito dahil sila po ang marginalized sector sa ating bansa,” Jerez said.

“Karamihan ay hindi kasama sa mga national programs ng government. Kaya sinikap po namin, under Pamana party-list, na mabigyan sila ng representasyon dito sa ating pamahalaan upang sa ganun ay maging bahagi po sila ng pagsulong ng ating pamayanan,” Jerez added.

Senate bet turns emotional over disqualification

Independent aspirant Bethsaida Lopez, who is gunning for a Senate seat for the third time, turrned emotional as she shared allegedly being disqualified for not having the ability to mount a nationwide campaign.

“Sabi sa akin you have a meritorious accomplishment as a private citizen but you can’t mount a nationwide campaign. Wala raw akong kakayahang mangampanya samantalang mahihirap ang boboto,” Lopez tearfully said. 

(They said that I have a meritorious accomplishment as a private citizen but I can’t run. The poll body said I don’t have the ability to mount a nationwide campaign.)

She then said she was the  “chosen one of God” and threatened to curse all individuals who would disqualify her. 

“Kapag hindi ako pinatakbong senador ng Comelec, lahat ng mga taong involved na ako ay idisqaulify sa pagiging mahirap ay isinusumpa ko ang mga taong ‘yun at idedeklara ko na pinakawalang kwenta kayong ahensya ng gobyerno,” the senatorial bet said. 

(If the Comelec would disqualify me, I curse all those behind my disqualification and would declare the Comelec the most useless government agency.)

“I hate politics. Sino ngayon ang gumawa ng paraan para gumawa ako ng hindi ko gusto? Dyos ang gumawa ng paraaan. Idinedeklara ko, sa dami ng himala sa buhay ko, I am the Chosen One of God,” Lopez added.

(I hate politics so who is prodding me to run? Go. With all the miracles that have happened in my life, I declare I am the Chosen One of God.)

The Comelec, for its part, said it would observe the aspirants’ actions during the filing and if they understood the positions they were running for in declaring nuisance candidates. 

The poll body would likewise be on the lookout for aspirants who merely want to disrupt or sow confusion in the voting public.

“Factual dapat ang allegations kung bakit nasasabi namin na wala siyang bona fide intention..’Yung kaniyang mga actuations pagkatapos mag-file ng COC kasi makikita naman natin ‘yan eh. Siya ba ay seryoso or gusto niya lang po makita na nagfa-file ng COC, makunan ng litrato, makita sa TV,” Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said in an ambush interview. 

(Our allegations for the declaration should be factual. We’ll observe their actuations after filing their COCs and we can see from there if the aspirant is serious in running or if he only filed because he wants to be photographed or seen on TV.)

“Titingnan at sisikapin pa rin ng Comelec na matanggal sa listahan ang mga nuisance candidates sa pamamagitan ng petition to declare as nuisance candidate,” he added. 

(We will work hard to remove from the lists the nuisance candidates.) —LDF, GMA Integrated News