Atty. Chel Diokno poses with his supporters during his thanksgiving event at Aurora Tower in Quezon City. Photo by Krissy Aguilar / INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno consoled his supporters, telling them not to apologize after he failed to snag a spot in the top 12 of the senatorial race.
“‘Yung mga nakikita kong tweet, wag naman kayo mag-sorry. There’s no need to be sorry for anything,” Diokno said during a thanksgiving event for his supporters on Tuesday night.
“We did our best and we did well. Akala nila ay takot tayong lahat, akala nila walang lalaban, akala nila walang maninindigan. Aba, nakailang milyong votes tayo? 6 million ang nanindigan,” he added.
Diokno ranked 21st based on the latest partial and unofficial tally of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) with 6,186,991 votes, as of writing.
“I am not sad about the outcome of this elections. Sa akin ay ganun lang yan, it doesn’t really matter to me. I have said this from the beginning. What is important is the light that we have shown in the darkness,” he said.
Diokno remained positive and said it is high time to encourage other people to become “woke.”
“Wala nang iyak iyakan, tama na yan. Dahil bukas na bukas magsisimula tayo ulit. Bukas na bukas kailangan meron tayong ma-woke,” he said, referring to how he was called by his social media followers as the “woke” lolo or grandfather.
“Isipin natin kung every day may ma-woke tayong isa, at the end of one year, ilan na ‘yung mawo-woke natin. At the end of two years, doble pa. At the end of three years, wala nang makakapigil sa’tin,” he added.
No one in Diokno’s slate Otso Diretso made it to the top 12.
The following compose the senatorial race’s top 12 based on the unofficial and partial tally of PPCRV: Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Bong Go, Pia Cayetano, Bato Dela Rosa, Sonny Angara, Lito Lapid, Imee Marcos, Francis Tolentino, Bong Revilla, Koko Pimentel and Nancy Binay. (Editor: Abe Cerojano)