LP trots out 2 surprise senatorial candidates

FILLERS they are not.

The ruling coalition led by the Liberal Party (LP) pulled off a surprise Monday when it named Assistant Interior Secretary Nariman Ambolodto and Coop-Natco Rep. Cresente Paez part of its senatorial ticket in the 2016 general elections at the formal launching of the slate at the LP headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City.

Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo, spokesperson for the administration-backed Daang Matuwid Coalition, said the LP and its allied political parties were determined to lead its 12 Senate hopefuls to victory, including their two virtually unknown candidates.

Quimbo played down insinuations that Ambolodto and Paez were last-minute replacements for boxing icon Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, who both turned down the offer for them to join the administration ticket.

“It’s a winning slate. It’s a consistent slate,” Quimbo told the Inquirer after LP standard-bearer Mar Roxas and Senate President Franklin Drilon led the introduction of the coalition’s 12 senatorial bets.

But Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice sounded more pragmatic, admitting that it was next to impossible to sweep the senatorial race.

“Their chances of winning are great. We’re hoping that they would all win. But realistically speaking, I think at least eight of them would win,” Erice told the Inquirer.

Leading the Senate slate of the administration coalition is Drilon, the LP chair.

Others on the slate are Senators Teofisto “TG” Guingona III and Ralph Recto, former Senators Francis Pangilinan and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, outgoing Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Joel Villanueva, outgoing Sen. Lito Lapid’s son Mark Lapid, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros and leaders from Mindanao Ambolodto and Paez.

Drilon said Pacquiao was excluded from the administration’s senatorial ticket because the boxer wanted to run with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte if the mayor decided to gun for the presidency.

“Congressman Pacquiao, because he hails from Mindanao, prefers to join the Senate slate of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte,” Drilon said in an interview with reporters on Monday.

Drilon said Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista was likewise excluded from the senatorial slate of the administration coalition because he had decided to seek another term as mayor.

As for Paez and Ambolodto, the Senate President said they were chosen because of their links to Mindanao.

“These are sectoral representatives of very critical sectors in our country. That’s why we chose them to complete our 12-member Senate slate,” Drilon said.

COALITION SENATORIAL SLATE President Aquino and Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas and running mate Leni Robredo at the announcement of the party’s senatorial candidates JOAN BONDOC

Quimbo said the coalition was confident that its senatorial candidates would continue the programs and policies that President Aquino had initiated since he came to power in 2010.

“It’s not a compromise slate. We’re very conscious of staying away from that,” he said.

Asked if the coalition’s senatorial lineup was unbeatable, Quimbo said: “I don’t think any team [can] compare to it.”

Speaking with reporters, Quimbo said the LP and its allies had been discussing ways to come up with “broad-based candidates” to represent all sectors, including the Muslim community.

He described Ambolodto as “a very accomplished leader who is highly educated” while Paez was a “one of the best members of the House (of Representatives)” whose group represents the alliance of 112 cooperatives.

Asked if the pair were just fillers in the coalition’s senatorial slate, he said: “I think that would be a great insult not only to the LP, but also to our two candidates.”

“Even from the start, we’re saying that we don’t have any track record of just filling up our slate,” he said.