Liberal Party, the true opposition

The PDP Laban under the leadership of former president Rodrigo Duterte and by logical expectation also of Vice President Sara Duterte Carpio, is not and cannot claim that it is the genuine opposition. The Dutertes and their cabal of ragtag remnants of PDPs are the same bananas as the BBMs "kare-kare" coalition.

If we are looking for an authentic opposition, then the Liberal Party is it. But many people are asking, where is the LP now? Quo vadis, Liberal Party? What happened to the party of President Manuel Acuña Roxas, of President Elpidio Quirino, of President Diosdado Macapagal, and also the original party of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. before he jumped to the Nacionalista Party in 1965? Wasn't the LP also the party of Ninoy Aquino and of PNoy as well? This was even the party of Mayor Tomas' late dad, Serging Osmeña, Jr, when he ran against Marcos in 1969. The late Sonny Osmeña used to be an LP. Even the late Governor Osmundo Rama, uncle of Mayor Mike, was an LP. Senator Bam Aquino should join the party of his uncle, Ninoy. For this is the party of Vice President Leni Robredo.

The Liberal Party is the true opposition to the government of BBM. The people behind LP today are the genuine stalwarts of those who oppose the current regime and do not compromise its principles with the powers-that-be. The president of the LP is Edcel Lagman, representative of the 1st District of Albay. The chairman is former senator Francis Pangilinan and its spokeswoman is, hold your breath, former senator and former DOJ secretary and Commission on Human Rights chairwoman, Leila de Lima. Its secretary general is the iconic former congressman Teddy Baguilat. This used to be the party of the Tañadas of Quezon Province and the Zigas (Senator Tecla and Senator Victor) of Bicol.

Do you remember the famous Emmanuel Pelaez of Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City? The Liberal Party was his affiliation when he ran and won in 1961 as vice president of the Philippines under the LP banner with President Diosdado Macapagal as standard bearer. The LP is the party of such famous senators as Ambrocio Padilla, Jovito Salonga, Neptali Gonzales, Francisco Soc Rodrigo, Ramon Mitra, Eddie Ilarde and and Eva Estrada Kalaw, Maria Kalaw Katigbak and Tecla San Andres Ziga, Juan Liwag, Cesar Climaco, Orly Mercado and Franklin Drilon. In earlier years of our history, the well-known members of LP included Geronima Pecson, the first female Philippine senator, Estanislao Fernandez, Gaudencio, and Magnolia Antonino.

Don Mariano Jesus Cuenco, long-time and multi-term senator of the republic was an LP. The Cuencos of Cebu were all Liberals, like Don Manuel and Don Miguel of the old 5th District now partly 2nd District and 7th District. Their scion, Tony Cuenco, was an outstanding congressman both of the old 5th District of the province and the South District of Cebu City. Cebu City was strongly Liberal Party under Serging Osmeña, Carlos Cuizon, Eulogio Borres, Ronald Duterte, and Sonny Osmeña. The congressman from Muntinlupa, and formerly its city mayor Jaime Fresnedi is an LP. The famous governor of Laguna from 1959 to 1992, Felicisimo San Luis was an LP member and Dominador Chipeco, also governor of Laguna.

This party was founded by the late Don Manuel Roxas and his comrade Elpidio Quirino on January 19, 1946. The party presidents over the years were Manuel Roxas, Jose Avelino, Elpidio Quirino, Eugenio Perez, Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Cornelio Villareal, Gerardo Roxas, Jovito Salonga, Wigberto Tañada, Raul Daza, Florencio Abad, Franklin Drilon, Mar Roxas, Joseph Emilio Abaya, Francis Pangilinan, and now Edcel Lagman.

There is no other party that can claim to be a legitimate opposition other than the Liberal Party. It is time that the LP bigwigs should prepare for the 2025 elections. The LP can present a better team of senatorial candidates than the bunch of nincompoops who are claiming to be leading in the polls. This country deserves a better set of legislators, those we can all be proud of and be hopeful with.