Former VP Binay, 5 others in Robredo-Pangilinan Senate slate

From left to right: Binay, Trillanes, De Lima, and Gordon

MANILA, Philippines — The tandem of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan named six more candidates, including former Vice President Jejomar Binay, in its senatorial slate for the 2022 elections.

Interestingly, this will mean that feuding personalities, such as Binay and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV, will fall under one umbrella.

In a press briefing, Robredo said the following candidates are included in their senatorial slate:

• Former Vice President Jejomar C. Binay
• Senator Richard Gordon
• Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri
• Former senator Francis Escudero
• Senator Joel Villanueva
• Author and poet Alex Lacson

Of the six candidates, Binay, Gordon, Zubiri, Escudero, and Villanueva are guest candidates.

This means the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem now has 11 names in its senatorial slate. Earlier, the tandem announced the following as a part of the senatorial slate:

• • Former Senator Sonny Trillanes
  • Senator Risa Hontiveros
  • Senator Leila De Lima
  • Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno
  • Former congressman Teddy Baguilat

Foes turned allies

Notably, the Robredo-Pangilinan slate included “political rivals” such as Binay and Trillanes.

For context, Trillanes played a crucial role in the Senate’s investigation into alleged corruption in Makati City during Binay’s term there.

Nonetheless, Robredo said the candidates in their slate were among the first to respond to her call for unity for next year’s elections.

Further, Robredo said those in the Senate slate were nominated by different groups of people and underwent a process.

“This is just consistent with what we have been pushing for a very long time already. Even during the time that I wasn’t a candidate yet and I wasn’t planning to run yet for the presidency—to unify as many people as possible, coming from diverse backgrounds,” Robredo said.

“And that’s the reason why I run as an independent—‘yung panaginip talaga natin mailagay sa isang samahan ‘yung mga handang makiisa,” she added.

(And that’s the reason why I run as an independent—our dream is to put into one team those who are pushing for unity.)

Robredo said that her Senate bets, despite their differences, have committed to work together to craft a roadmap to help the country.

“Pag tiningnan natin yung 11 na nasa slate ngayon, iba-iba yung pinagdaanan, iba-iba yung kasaysayan. Pero yung pinakamahalaga, nung nakiusap tayo na magkaisa, yung kahandaan na isantabi yung mga dating pinagdaanan at paniniwala nandoon,” Robredo said.

(When we look at the 11 candidates in our slate right now, they have different experiences and history. But what’s most important is when we asked for unity, their readiness to set aside their past was there.)

“Ako naniniwala ako na walang perpekto sa amin, kahit ako. Walang perpekto sa amin pero yung pinakamahalaga yung commitment at readiness na umupo sa isang lamesa at pakinggan yung iba’t-ibang paniniwala ng mga kasama at mag-panday ng isang plano at agreement to operationalize yung ating aspirations. Sila ang nagpakita sa atin ng ganoong kahandaan,” she added.

(I believe no one is perfect among us, including myself. No one is perfect but what’s most important is the commitment and readiness to sit and listen to the different perspectives and craft a plan and agreement to operationalize our aspirations. They were the ones who showed us that readiness.)

The Vice President said she wants the candidate to represent the marginalized sector.

gsg/abc