MANILA, Philippines—Opposition coalition 1Sambayan, a group seeking to field a single candidate against whoever President Rodrigo Duterte would endorse as his successor, continues its search with a few weeks left before the filing of candidacies in the first week of October.
“It’s not a matter of having a candidate, it’s more important uniting under one candidate..to have a unified candidate against the Duterte administration,” 1Sambayan convenor Howard Calleja said at an online forum on Wednesday (Aug. 18).
“We are still optimistic that there will be one united candidate for democratic forces,” he said.
The group has not yet named its candidate for president. While it is considering Vice President Leni Robredo and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, the nominations remained open until the end of the month.
1Sambayan is also looking at Manila Mayor Isko Moreno as one of its nominees and talks are still underway.
An announcement is expected to be made around the time of the filing of candidacy on the first week of October, Calleja said,