Opposition completes 8-member senatorial slate for 2019 polls

Former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas faces media after filing his COC for senator at the Comelec in Manila on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018. (Photo by CATHRINE GONZALES / INQUIRER.net)

The opposition coalition has finally completed its senatorial slate for the May 2019 midterm elections, according to a statement released by the Oposisyon Koalisyon on Tuesday, a day before the filing of certificates of candidacy ends.

Completing the list of eight candidates were Florin Hilbay, solicitor general during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III, and veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, lead counsel of Vice President Leni Robredo in the electoral protest filed against her by former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Following are the other candidates in the slate:

• former Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, who also served in the Aquino as head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and then then Department of Transportation and Communication
• Magdalo partylist Rep. Gary Alejano
• Sen. Paulo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV
• Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno, dean of the De La Salle University College of Law
• Samira Gutoc, a former member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission
• former House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tañada

According to the statement, the final list was the result of a long process of evaluation and consultation conducted by the Office of Vice President and the opposition coalition composed of the Liberal Party (LP), Akbayan, Magdalo, Aksyon Demokratiko, Tindig Pilipinas, and other cause-oriented groups.

The coalition has been meeting since early this year to come out with a list of opposition candidates for the 2019 polls, it added. /atm

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