LP senatorial slate to include 2 unknowns

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, a presidential candidate, gestures as he delivers his message during the oath-taking of the new Liberal Party members consist of Governors, Congressman, Board Members and Mayors at Balay House, Quezon City, September 7, 2015. The ruling Liberal Party (LP) is fielding two unknowns to fill the last two slots on its senatorial slate after it failed to get on board boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, tax chief Kim Henares, Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, a former senator, and lawyer Lorna Kapunan. INQUIRER PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

THE RULING Liberal Party (LP) is fielding two unknowns to fill the last two slots on its senatorial slate after it failed to get on board boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, tax chief Kim Henares, Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, a former senator, and lawyer Lorna Kapunan.

A party leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to address the media, said the two slots would be filled by Coop-Natcco Rep. Cresente Paez and Interior Assistant Secretary for Muslim Affairs Nariman Ambolodto.

The LP’s 12 candidates will be officially announced today at the party’s Balay headquarters in Quezon City.

Up to the last minute, party leaders were trying to woo Pacquiao and Henares, but ultimately decided to recruit Paez, who recently received the backing of the party-list bloc in the House of Representatives, and Ambolodto, who is seen to appeal to Mindanao voters.

“We want candidates to represent the NGO sector and the Muslim sector,” the LP official said.

“It seemed to us that Pacquiao would go with someone from Mindanao, and we think it’s going to be [Davao Mayor Rodrigo] Duterte,” the official said of the Sarangani representative who is a member of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party.

The LP source said that Henares declined the offer to join the senatorial slate, as did Biazon, “who has opted to remain in his district” in Muntinlupa City.

Previously, two other prospective senatorial candidates left the LP slate: Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, who withdrew his nomination, and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino, who quit after a sexy dancing scandal during an LP event in Laguna.

In spite of the shuffling of the lineup, Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas, chair of LP’s organizing and membership committee, said the party would definitely announce a complete slate this morning.

Long confirmed to be part of the LP senatorial team were Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senators Ralph Recto and Teofisto Guingona III and former Sen. Francis Pangilinan. Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson will also be adopted as a guest candidate.