MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATED 3:35 P.M) Besides Harry, Mocha, and other political personalities, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez also wants Vit to be included in the Duterte administration’s 2019 senatorial slate.
On Monday, during the National Bureau of Investigation’s founding anniversary celebration in Manila, Alvarez announced that he wanted Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Vitaliano “Vit” Aguirre to be part of the PDP-Laban’s senatorial lineup.
The Speaker told reporters he would talk to President Rodrigo Duterte and ask him to include the DOJ chief in the slate.
Aguirre, who attended the event, was surprised by Alvarez’s announcement and said the decision would be up to the President and on whether he would have a fighting chance to win the polls.
“P’wedeng mangyari ‘yon kung si Presidente ang magtatanong sa ‘kin. But dapat naman ay meron tayong chance to win. You need to consider that. ‘Di mo naman malalaman ‘yong chances mo specially pagdating sa survey,” he said.
Earlier, Alvarez said he likewise wanted Harry Roque and Mocha Uson to be included in the party’s senatorial slate for the 2019 polls.
“Roque is intelligent and Uson has a genuine heart for the Filipino people,” the Speaker said.
Roque was serving his term as congressman representing the partylist Kabayan when he was appointed spokesperson of Duterte last month, while Uson is Presidential Communications assistant secretary.
Also, Alvarez wanted Davao Rep. Karlo Nograles, Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas and former Metro Manila Development Authority Francis Tolentino to to become PDP-Laban’s senatorial bets.
According to Alvarez, Senate President Koko Pimentel leads the partial senatorial line-up of ruling party. However, Pimentel, reacting earlier to Alvarez’s floating the partial list that included Uson and Roque for the first time, said all names are still preliminary and will be subject to the party’s plenary deliberations. He said those named by Alvarez may be deemed the “Speaker’s nominees,” but added that having the Speaker as their endorser carries some weight. Pimentel is party president and Alvarez, secretary general. The party chair is Duterte. – With Lira Dalangin-Fernandez, InterAksyon
