Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. Fat Reyes/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III’s cousin, filed his certificate of candidacy for senator Friday.
Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV arrived at the Comelec office with Akbayan Representative Risa Hontiveros. Both were wearing yellow, the color of the Liberal Party.
Both are part of the LP senatorial line-up from a coalition of six groups — LP, Akbayan Partylist, Nacionalista Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino and National Unity Party.
Bam, the youngest senatorial candidate of LP at 35 years old, reiterated his vow to champion the youth and to push for reforms for them in the senate.
“I submitted myself in the process…I am very happy na naghanap ng representante ng kabataan ang Liberal Party,” Aquino said.
When pressed by reporters about the issue of political dynasty and his being an Aquino, Bam argued that his family had a history of public service.
“In our case, instead of looking at us as a political dynasty, I think we have a history of public service,” Aquino said.
He said that in 10 years time, if people would see him as included in the ranks of his family members who “gave their lives for the country, I will not be ashamed of that.”
He said he hoped that he would be as persuasive in the Senate as the older Aquinos were before him.
With regard to the controversy on the Cybercrime Prevention Act, the young Aquino maintained the stance that he was for amending the provision on libel, and that he was hopeful that the senators would be able to amend the law by next week.
“I have my hopes that they would amend it by next week, if they are not willing to amend it, kami na sa susunod na senado ang gagawa nun [we in next Senate would do it],” he said.
Bam is with former senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, former representative Cynthia Villar, MTRCB chairman Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Aurora representative Juan Edgardo Angara, Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Aquilino Pimentel III, Loren Legarda, and Antonio Trillanes IV in the LP slate.