Casiño running as independent for senator

MANILA, Philippines – Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño won’t join mainstream political parties in running for senator next year.

In a statement, Casiño said he will be running for senator “independent” of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and President Aquino’s Liberal Party (LP).

“Our consensus in the party is that I am better off running solo. In this way, I won’t be tied down by the political complications and baggages that a coalition of traditional parties usually entail,” Casiño said.

He said by running alone he can effectively deliver his message of change.

“The traditional political parties have failed to uplift the lives of our people. It’s time for new parties, new voices and new leaders to enter the Senate,” he said.

The third-term party-list lawmaker said he will be running under the militant Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan), which he said is composed of several party-list organizations and left-leaning politicians.

The party will be holding its second national convention in Manila this Friday at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines gymnasium.

“Makabayan will field only one senatorial candidate in the 2013 elections. Teddy brings with him a voters’ base of 3.5 million plus a ground-level machinery that is unmatched by any senatorial candidate. We are confident he will become senator next year,” Makabayan secretary-general Nathaniel Santiago said.

Casiño claimed to be an unlikely senatorial candidate even if his bid for the Senate has been known since last year.

“I don’t come from a political clan. I’m not rich nor am I a showbiz or media personality. This is precisely the point of my candidacy – that we need someone new in the Senate, someone who can be the voice of the ordinary folk,” he said.

Santiago said Casiño will be running as a non-traditional candidate and is better off not joining the coalition of traditional parties.