PDP-Laban formally asks Duterte to settle senatorial slate

MANILA, Philippines — The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan officially asked President Rodrigo Duterte to review and finalize its senatorial lineup for the 2019 midterm elections.

PDP-Laban’s list has 24 names, which includes individuals within the party, “friends of the party” and re-electionist senators.

READ:Sen Pimentel submits to Pres Duterte 24 names of possible PDP Laban senatorial candidates for 2019 elex. Pimentel says he hopes to meet with PRRD soon to discuss party matters and preparation for elex @News5AKSYON @onenewsph pic.twitter.com/5rjlvK23nt

— marie ann los banos (@maeannelosbanos) August 16, 2018

The party’s president Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Wednesday wrote a letter to Duterte, asking for his opinion on the senatorial slate that PDP-Laban is forming.

“I hope that the party leadership can sit down with you, as the party chairman, at the earliest possible time so we can talk about party matters and prepare for the fast approaching May 2019 elections,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said the party is eyeing to field himself, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, president’s political adviser Francis Tolentino, Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles (Davao), Rep. Zajid “Dong” Mangudadatu (Maguindanao), Rep. Geraldine Roman (Bataan), Rep. Monsour del Rosario (Makati City), singer Freddie Aguilar, reporter Jiggy Manicad, Rep. Alfredo Benitez (Negros Occidental) and Rep. Dakila Carlo “Dax” Cua (Quirino).

PDP-Laban can also recruit “friends of the party,” which include Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Bureau of Corrections Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, actor Robin Padilla, former Sen. Lito Lapid, former Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan, Ramon Tulfo, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. and Rep. Pia Cayetano (Taguig City).

The five re-electionist senators mentioned on the letter were Sens. Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara, JV Ejercito, Grace Poe and Nancy Binay.

“[They] belong to the majority coalition in the Senate and who are generally supportive of your administration,” Pimentel said.

Cua, Del Rosario, Benitez, Dela Rosa, Padilla, Lapid, Alunan, Tulfo, Roque and Cayetano were not among the names announced by the party’s secretary general Pantaleon Alvarez during a mass oathtaking last March. — with Marie Ann Los Banos/News5