While other parties are having difficulty courting senator candidates, the Liberal Party (LP) appears to have an easier task with a deep bench from which to choose from.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice on Friday boasted that while the LP only needs 12 senator bets, it would still have to choose from 16 names on its bench which, he said, is causing the party a big headache in the run-up to the 2016 elections.
They are Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, Internal Revenue chief Kim Henares, Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista, PhilHealth director Risa Hontiveros, Manila vice mayor Isko Moreno, former energy secretary Jericho Petilla, Metro Manila Development Authority chair Francis Tolentino, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar, and Mark Lapid, son of Sen. Lito Lapid.
The rest of the list includes senatorial reelectionists Senate President Franklin Drilon, Ralph Recto and TG Guingona, and former senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
There are two more names, but Erice said he could not recall them anymore.
“Sixteen na ang aming posibleng candidate kaya medyo masakit sa ulo dahil 12 lang ang kailangan,” Erice said.
“Yung iba (political parties) medyo hirap daw yata sa pagbuo ng kanilang lineup,” Erice added.
While the LP has more options, the United Nationalist Alliance of Vice President Jejomar Binay is looking at fielding the following personalities for senator – Sulu Princess Jacel Kiram, whose father Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III led a failed attack in Malaysia to claim Sabah, and actress Alma Moreno, who is Parañaque city councilor.
READ: Alma Moreno, Sulu princess Jacel Kiram in Binay senatorial slate
Meanwhile, an exodus of politicians is expected to join the banner of senators Grace Poe and Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who has declared their president and vice president together as independents under a party they called “Partido Pilipinas.”
READ: Senatorial hopefuls deny knowledge of Poe-Escudero slate
Expected as Poe-Escudero’s senator bets are Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) chief Joel Villanueva, Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Taguig Rep. Lino Cayetano and Atty. Lorna Kapunan, who served as lawyer for accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles.
The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP), National Unity Party (NUP), the Makabayan bloc and a number of party-list groups such as An Waray and Ako Bicol are expected to align themselves to Poe-Escudero’s camp in 2016, an alliance expected to eclipse that of the size of the ruling LP.
READ: 4 parties for Poe to halve LP coalition
Boxing champion and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao is said to being courted by all camps to join them in their senatorial ticket.