Moreno, Ople, Romualdez, Santiago among Miriam, Bongbong’s senate bets

PRESIDENTIAL candidate Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago and running mate Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. endorsed 10 senatorial candidates in a two-hour event on Sunday night in Pasig City organized by the Youth for Miriam volunteers group.

Of the 10, only four showed up: Marcos’ cousin Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, overseas Filipino worker advocate Susan Ople, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and former Armed Forces Chief of Staff Dionisio Santiago.

Former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino and former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Joel Villanueva did not attend the event citing prior engagements but sent representatives.

Reelectionist Sen. Ralph Recto, actor-host Edu Manzano and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao did not send representatives.

Except for independent senatorial candidate Dionisio Santiago, the others had been endorsed by other presidential tandems.

Recto, Petilla and Villanueva are also with the Liberal Party ticket of former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Romualdez, Pacquiao and Ople are also with the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) ticket of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

Recto, Manzano, Moreno and Ople are likewise on the ticket of independent presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe, who is running with Sen. Chiz Escudero.

Ople, Romualdez and Pacquiao were also endorsed by Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino standard-bearer Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement, Recto thanked Santiago and Marcos for including him in their senatorial slate, saying he was “grateful” for the “kind gesture.”

“I wish them the very best of luck,” Recto said.

He said he was glad his two Senate colleagues had pledged to focus their campaign on their platform, vision and issues.

“Certainly, any commitment to elevate the quality of public discourse would help voters make an informed choice come election day,” Recto said.

Santiago showed no signs of an ailment as she punctuated her speech with fist pumps and shook hands with supporters on stage.

Santiago promised her young supporters that she will fight corruption in government.

“These politicians who steal their pork barrel, they’re getting senile. Why are two in jail while one is out, what’s going on there?” she said, referring to Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile who was allowed to post bail in his plunder case.

“We have no money because I don’t have an established political party. But this is the best way because if I win I will owe no big favor to any businessman,” Santiago said. With a report from Christine O. Avendano