Opposition coalition 1Sambayan has named at least seven senatorial aspirants from Vice President Leni Robredo’s slate that it is considering to endorse in the May 2022 national elections.
Bro. Armin Luistro, one of the 1Sambayan convenors, said the following candidates will be included in its initial senatorial line-up:
*Senator Leila de Lima
*Senator Risa Hontiveros
*Labor leader Sonny Matula
*Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
*Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno
*Former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat
*Lawyer Alex Lacson
The convenor said the group is looking to finalize the list after Nov. 15, the last day that withdrawing candidates can be replaced via the substitution rule.
"The requirement of 1Sambayan is for them to publicly declare support for Leni-Kiko. If they are not willing, we cannot include them. We need not fill up all 12 slots," Luistro explained.
READ: 1Sambayan ready to endorse only half of Robredo's Senate bets —Luistro
Apart from the seven opposition candidates, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, incumbent Senators Richard Gordon and Joel Villanueva, and Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero are also in Robredo’s slate.
“There are no issues with Trillanes, Diokno, De Lima, Matula, Baguilat, (and) Hontiveros," Luistro told the Manila Bulletin when it bared 1Sambayan's initial six senatoriables for endorsement.
He would later add, "The seventh in the 1Sambayan senatorial list is Alex Lacson."
The coalition earlier endorsed Robredo’s candidacy for president eventhough it had sought to unite the opposition’s “pro-democracy forces.”
READ: 'Robredo for president' fully supported by 1Sambayan; ‘The fight is on’
1Sambayan vowed to “unconditionally” support the ticket of Robredo and her running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan.
“We support VP Leni in her continued effort to seek unity among political parties and among the people, and to ensure that the Leni-Kiko ticket represents the pro-democracy forces and the people’s desire for leaders with the qualities of tapat na pagkatao, mahusay na pinuno, and marami nang nagawa,” it said.