The Philippine Online Chronicles

Vetellano Acosta, the presidential bet of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) party, has been disqualified from running in the May 10 elections by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

According to abs-cbnNEWS.com, the poll body was unanimous in disqualifying Acosta. Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said that Acosta is not serious in his candidacy. The banker himself admitted that he is not prepared to wage a national campaign. In one interview, he said that he would no longer actively campaign and attend presidential debates and that he would leave his fate to God.

Early on, KBL vice-presidential bet Jose “Jay" Y. Sonza claimed that he has yet to meet their standard bearer.

The Liberal Party (LP) has also asked for Acosta's disqualification, saying that the dislodged presidentiable is a nuisance candidate who is out to steal the votes of LP Presidential Bet “Noynoy” Aquino III.

With Acosta's name in the official lineup, Aquino would only place second in the ballot.

The Comelec said that all the names that had earlier been included in the official list of candidates would remain on the ballots to be used for the 2010 elections, but votes for Acosta would not be counted.