MANILA, Philippines — Liberal Party President Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Monday bared the possible candidates of the coalition that would be the “genuine opposition” in the 2019 midterm polls.
In an interview on ANC’s “Headstart,” Pangilinan named Sen. Bam Aquino, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, former Akbayan party-list Rep. Barry Gutierrez, LP Vice President for External Affairs Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada and De La Salle University College of Law Dean Jose Manuel Diokno as the potential candidates of the “Resistance” coalition.
Pangilinan added that actress Agot Isidro, who often criticizes the government and President Rodrigo Duterte, is being tapped to join the opposition line-up, citing the need for strong women.
“Of course, she’s hesitant but then we said, ‘we need more women to step up.’ She said, ‘you can consider it but let me think about it also.’ So we’re still convincing her,” he said.
Pangilinan is also not dismissing the possibility of having ousted Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno in the coalition.
Defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas declined the offer of LP to run again as a senator, Pangilinan said.
“We’ve discussed this with him, he said no. Although there are people who are still trying to convince him,” he said.
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‘Resistance’ coalition
The LP executive stressed that the “Resistance” coalition would be as “broad and inclusive as possible.”
Acknowledging that LP will need the help of other groups in forming an opposition coalition, Pangilinan said that the formerly dominant party is in talks with Akbayan, Magdalo, Tindig Pilipinas and Kaya Natin!
“Bottomline is the resistance to the encroachment of China in our sovereign waters, the resistance of extrajudicial killings, resistance to corruption, resistance to our lack of emphasis on creating jobs and addressing the rising prices of goods,” he said.
According to a Pulse Asia senatorial survey released last Month, Aquino was the lone opposition figure who has a statistical chance of making it to the top 12.
Political analyst Dennis Coronacion said it has historically been difficult for the opposition to form a line-up for the mid-term polls as “most candidates want to run in a part with the most resources.”
But Pangilinan remains optimistic that the coalition’s possible candidates will get seats in the upper chamber.
“It’s possible as long as the message is clear and the track record of our candidates is sterling,” he said.
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