MANILA, Philippines — (Update 2, 5:45 p.m.) Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Friday bared his lineup of endorsed candidates for the Senate in the 2022 polls, which include reelectionist senators and former vice president Jejomar Binay, among others.
Here is the 10-member list released by Ron Munsayac, the executive director of the PDP-Laban faction headed by Pacquiao, to reporters:
- Former Senate secretary Lutgardo “Lutz” Barbo
- Former Vice President Jejomar Binay
- Rep. Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna)
- Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero
- Sen. Richard Gordon
- Labor leader Elmer “Bong” Labog
- Rep. Loren Legarda (Antique)
- Radio broadcaster Raffy "Idol" Tulfo
- Sen. Joel Villanueva
- Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri
In an interview with ANC's "Headstart," Pacquiao said most of the names he bared would be guest candidates.
"We are not cornering them because they are only running for the Senate," he said in Filipino. "They are running for a senatorial post and 12 would need to win so they can be guest candidates."
Colmenares was in talks with Robredo to join her Senatorial lineup but said on Twitter that his "non-inclusion in her slate at this time is based on what she thinks is best for the interest of her candidacy."
Binay filed his candidacy last week under the United Nationalist Alliance, which he founded for his failed presidential run in 2016.
Reelectionists Gordon, Villanueva, and Zubiri are running as independents. All three of them figure on the Senate slates of presidential candidates Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
Escudero and Legarda are both members of the Nationalist People's Coalition, the party headed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III. They are both also part of the Lacson-Sotto lineup. Escudero is on Robredo's slate too.
Tulfo, who has topped the last Pulse Asia survey where 55.2% of respondents saying they will vote for him, is also running as an independent.
Barbo, meanwhile, is running under the PDP-Laban faction led by Pacquiao. He has served twice as Senate secretary and was among the first to file his candidacy on October 1.
Pacquiao, who had announced he was retiring from boxing to focus on his presidential bid, has picked Rep. Lito Atienza (Buhay Party-list) as his running mate in next year's elections.
Makabayan says not backing any presidential candidate yet
Following Colmenares' inclusion in Pacquiao's slate, the Makabayan coalition on social media clarified that it "has not declared support for any presidential candidate at this time."
"We ask the public to be wary of statements, including outright lies and intrigue, made [on] our behalf by unauthorized parties," the statement reads further.
"We are ready to work with candidates who have taken a clear stand against the perpetuation of tyrannical rule through a Duterte or Marcos presidency, and supporting efforts to unite democratic forces to ensure victory in the coming elections."
Before their falling over PDP-Laban's chosen standard-bearer for 2022, Pacquiao was a close ally of Duterte's.
On several occasions, the senator defended the president's bloody campaign against illegal drugs, the proposed revival of the death penalty, and pushed for the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. — Bella Perez-Rubio and Christian Deiparine