Akbayan Partylist, the national political party backing reelectionist Senator Risa Hontiveros, has declared support to the six other senatorial candidates under the ticket of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.
As Akbayan reiterated its support to member Hontiveros on Monday, May 2, the political party which is comprised of 100,000 democratic socialists, progressives, reform advocates, and sectoral and mass movement leaders, formally endorsed the senatorial bid of Robredo's senate slate, collectively called as Tropa (Team Robredo-Pangilinan).
"Akbayan also formally endorses the senatorial candidacies of Senator Leila de Lima, former Senator Antonio Trillanes, former Congressman Teddy Baguilat, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, trade union leader Sonny Matula, and Atty. Alex Lacson in the May 9 national election," the partylist said in a statement.
Akbayan said they have "three major considerations behind this endorsement." These are loyalty to Robredo and Pangilinan, individual capacity, and integrity.
"First, the senatorial candidates have supported the presidential and vice presidential campaigns of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan from the very beginning. They did not waver. They did not flirt with other presidential candidates and hedge their bets," the partylist said.
"This is more than a show of loyalty. It demonstrates deep commitment to a vision of governance anchored on shared democratic values and principles. It is the path of integrity over political expediency and unprincipled compromise," it added.
The political party also believes that members of Robredo's senatorial slate has their own individual capacity, displayed a consistent track record of fighting for the oppressed and the marginalized, for progressive reform and the larger goal of reclaiming human rights and democracy.
Akbayan cited that the seven senatorial bets have passed pro-people measures, defended trade union rights and indigenous communities, empowered women, fought sexism and misogyny, stood up for Philippine sovereignty, and protected poor people from extrajudicial killers and other human rights violators.
"They also continue to safeguard the nation's coffers from plunderers and push back against modern authoritarianism. Their body of work is on full display. We can be assured that with these people in the Senate, they will continue to defend the people and fight for progressive change," it stressed.
Akbayan further said that the senatorial candidates have "displayed personal integrity and consistency with the principles of transparency and good governance which lie at the heart of Vice President Robredo's platform of Gobyernong Tapat."
"If we are to truly craft a new democratic vision for the nation, we firmly believe that these values must remain paramount. They will ensure that indebtedness to the old ways of traditional and patronage politics are cast aside, and that conditions for people-centered governance can truly take root," it said.