Olongapo councilor JC formalizes presidential bid

Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos “JC" De los Reyes on Monday formalized his presidential bid in the 2010 elections by filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), becoming the 16th aspirant for the country's top elective post.

De los Reyes, the 39-year-old bet of the Ang Kapatiran National Political Party, filed his COC with the Comelec law department at 2:10 p.m.

Interviewed by reporters, De los Reyes said he filed his candidacy early “to get it over with."

"We also wanted it to coincide with the Mass just held at the Sta. Cruz Church. It’s just a general message to the lay faithful that even if we perfect the automation, if we elect rotten leaders, everything will still go to waste," he said in Filipino.

De los Reyes was accompanied by his running mate Dominador Chipeco Jr., and his party’s seven senatorial candidates: social scientist Rizalito David; lawyers Jo Aurea, Zosimo Paredes, and Adrian Sison; teachers Reginald Tamayo and Hector Tarrazona; and former United Nations executive Manuel Valdehuesa, Jr.

He said his party’s bets might not be popular but are all "local gems" who do not practice traditional politics.

In the 2007 elections, De los Reyes was the only winner among the Kapitaran Party candidates. He placed second in the 10 slots for the Olongapo City council. He studied B.A. Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, USA. After graduating, he taught Philosophy at the University of Asia and Pacific.

He later pursued his graduate studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1999 and his law degree at the Saint Louis University in Baguio City in 2005.

In September, De los Reyes appeared as guest on GMANews.TV’s web show "Exchange" where he talked about the implications of being an independent candidate.

The Olongapo City councilor is married to Dunia Valenzuela with three children, Gabriel 10, Santiago, 7, and Barbara 5.

Since Friday, 21 presidential aspirants, one vice presidential aspirant, and 10 senatorial aspirants have filed their COCs with the Comelec. - RSJ, GMANews.TV

Ang Kapatiran's presidential bet JC De los Reyes, together with running mate Dominador Chipeco Jr. and senatorial candidate Reginald Tamayo, formalizes his bid for the government's highest post in 2010. - Andreo Calonzo