Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Sunday, June 20 said unity is paramount for the opposition as they decide on who to support in the upcoming May 2022 presidential elections.

Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party, the former ruling political party, said it is important for them to set aside their differences in order to stand strong in next year’s polls.

“We encourage and support the efforts to unify all who wants to pursue an alternative leadership, alternative administration. We must be united,” Pangilinan said.

“For unity to be achieved, we must set aside our differences and focus not on what divides us but on what unites us. Setting aside our differences to achieve unity is paramount,” the senator added.

Pangilinan also echoed the sentiments of Vice President Leni Robredo on the need to field one candidate for the presidency to go against the administration’s candidate.

“She said we have to have one candidate because we really need to unite,” the LP stalwart said.

“Otherwise, if there are three or four candidates, the administration’s bet will have a strong chance of winning. So that’s one thing. And she also said it does not have to be her,” he pointed out.

Like Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, who is also an LP stalwart, Pangilinan believes there is a need to negotiate or discuss things over with other groups should Robredo decides not to run for president in 2022.

“He (Drilon) said that should VP Leni refuse to run for president, we should be ready to discuss with other groups that are not part of the LP and to set aside our differences to unite and provide an alternative to the current administration’s choices,” he said.

“But before that, opposition leaders should be abel to first inspire the people to register first for the electins,” he said.