Ely Pamatong, among early birds to file COC for president
For the third time, Ely Pamatong desires to become president of the Philippines claiming he is the most and best qualified for the job.During the early hours of day oneof filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for next year's elections, Pamatong was the first to submit COCs for president.He was followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay and his running mate Sen. Gringo Honasan, for president and vice president, respectively.Radio and TV reports showed Pamatong already at the Comelec central office as early as 7 a.m. and the first candidate to enter the office as soon as it opened at 8 a.m.Many see him as a nuisance candidate or a man with good intentions. He said he was twice cheated in his presidential bids. This time, he said hewill not allow the infidels to cheat him again.He claims to be the top man of theUSAFFE he founded in 2003 to fight communist insurgents in Mindanao. A lawyer by profession, he proclaimed that he earned 92 percent score in the American bar examination after graduating from the UP-Diliman and Silliman University.Aside from seeking the presidency, he also ran, and lost, as Pampanga governor. In his presidential bid in 2004 and 2010, the poll body declared him nuisance candidate.Known in Philippine politics as Spike Boy, Pamatong said he prayed before filing his COCs that the Comelec will not disqualify him.He earned the moniker Spike Boy for throwing metal spikes in EDSA in 2004 during protest rallies.