VICTORY IN UNITY Former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, retired Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario (in background pictures) lead the new political coalition 1Sambayan that aims to put up a full unified slate for the 2022 national elections to ensure victory against Duterte administration candidates. INQUIRER file photo / RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — Opposition coalition 1Sambayan is not a mere yellow party nor are they “elitist” in their selection process, one of its co-convener said on Wednesday.
Lawyer Howard Calleja, one of the 24 convenors of the newly formed coalition, stressed that the coalition consists of a wide range of sectors from all parties and not just the Liberal Party.
“The yellow or the liberals are part of the coalition under 1Sambayan,” he said over ABS-CBN News Channel. “I think the 1Sambayan’s narrative is different from what is described. We are more united, we are open to everybody, we are not elitist, we are actually — the convenors are now 24 —from the urban poor, labor, peasant farmers, fishermen, from OFW, from all spectrum.”
“We have to look at it that 1Sambayan is not one party, but a coalition, as broad as maybe in the times of Edsa or even bigger than the coalition that time,” he added.
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Calleja said that critics and any opposition from the administration are being labeled as “yellow.”
“That’s the sad part of this administration, it is them who are labeling those who are saying, or maybe criticizing the administration as yellows,” he pointed out.
He also disputes 1Sambayan’s “perceived” elitism when it comes to choosing potential bets.
“Yun po ang perception (that is the perception),” he admits.
“Sa amin po, sa (Here at) 1Sambayan, we are not closing the doors as long as you spout the constitution, the rule of law, abhor EJK, protect the Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights,” he noted.