LAKAS LEADERS Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr. (right) and Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez after their appointment Tuesday as chairman and president, respectively, of the Lakas-CMD political party. Photo by Cynthia Marizze Mendoza
MANILA, Philippines – Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats will carry 10 senatorial candidates from both the Liberal Party (LP) and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) coalition, its officials said on Tuesday.
In a press conference, new party chairman Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. said that aside from two candidates to be chosen by their members in the local level, they would choose five Senate bets from the LP and another five from UNA, to make up their 12-strong senatorial ticket.
But he said they would wait until a month before the election before deciding on which candidates to field for the May polls.
The only candidate they were sure to support is former Lakas-CMD member Zambales Representative Milagros “Mitos” Magsaysay.
Magsaysay has earlier withdrawn her membership from Lakas-CMD to join the Vice President-led UNA coalition.
Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who switched places with Revilla and now leads the party as president, said they would choose candidates who shared Lakas-CMD’s ideals.
“We will choose candidates who share our ideals and goals,” he said, adding that the 10 candidates they choose may not be equally split between LP and UNA due to this criteria.
Revilla and Romualdez will be going around the country to provide support for their senatorial ticket once they have chosen who to support.
“Senator Revilla said we will only choose ten and give our members in the local level leeway to decide on the two other candidates,” said Romualdez.
Last week, House minority leader Danilo Suarez, Lakas-CMD’s vice chairman, told the media that they were considering including in their senatorial slate President Benigno Aquino III’s cousin Paolo “Bam” Aquino, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s son Cagayan Representative Jack Enrile and Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.
Romualdez said that deciding one month before the polls was not too late and would even provide them ample time to support the senatorial candidates.
“It’s not too late, like they say, one week is a lifetime in politics. The target of one month is ample time,” he assured.