Carpio’s coalition woos Robredo, Isko, others to join slate vs Duterte’s bets

MANILA, Philippines — A new electoral coalition, led by retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, is currently in talks with prospective candidates that would challenge the current administration in the national elections next year.

Carpio said that they have already met with some possible candidates, including Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, and former Sen. Antonio Trillanes.

He said that the process is ongoing and there is no final list yet.

“We are prepared to accept suggestions from everyone… What is important is we agreed on the process that at the end of the day we will only choose one slate,” the retired magistrate said.

READ: Carpio launches coalition to challenge Duterte’s ‘anointed one’ in 2022 polls

Before finalizing their endorsement, he said, the vetting process would include surveys and interviews. They will be screened based on their track record, competence, and stand on crucial issues.

The 1Sambayan national coalition was officially unveiled on Thursday to seek Filipino leaders and unite them in a single national slate for the national elections in May 2022.

Other main convenors of 1Sambayan include former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and former ambassador Albert del Rosario, Bro. Armin Luistro, retired Adm. Rommel Ong, former COA commissioner Heidi Mendoza, among others.

“The Filipino people deserve a better government. There are Filipino leaders who can do a much better job in running the government, reviving the economy, creating jobs for our people, and defending our territory and sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” Carpio said.

“This government is really incompetent. They’ve been tested and everybody is saying kulelat sila. So we have to offer a better alternative to our people because we don’t want the same thing to happen again, to continue in the next six years,” he said.

Carpio criticized the administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming that it wasted time and money on charter change, shutting down mass media, threatening companies with franchise cancellations, threatening academic freedom at colleges, and terrorizing legitimate dissenters through surveillance and arrests.

“We should have the best candidates to institute good governance in the country…Without good governance, we will never progress,” he said.

“The Filipino people should elect national leaders who truly love our country and who would faithfully serve the Filipino people,” he added.

EDV/abc