MANILA (UPDATE) — Ruling party PDP-Laban on Tuesday said it plans to include 6 Cabinet members, a governor, a lawmaker and other known personalities in its 2022 senatorial slate.
President Rodrigo Duterte's party is planning to field 8 to 9 party members and 3 other allies in next year's senatorial race, party Secretary General Melvin Matibag said in an online press conference.
Matibag said the ruling party is considering to include the following personalities in its senatorial ticket:
- Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade
- Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III
- Public Works Secretary Mark Villar
- Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles
- Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo
- Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque
- Quirino Governor Dakila "Dax" Cua
- Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez
"Ang tinitingnan natin dito winnability. Siyempre tinitingnan din natin dito track record at relationship sa pangulo," Matibag said.
Matibag said action star Robin Padilla was included in the initial list of PDP-Laban's potential senatorial candidates, but noted that he was not sure if the actor made the final cut.
The PDP-Laban official also declined to confirm if TV host Willie Revillame would run under the ruling party, saying he has yet to get confirmation about it as “it may be beyond his pay grade.”
Some camps also want Greco Belgica of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission to run for the Senate, he said.
Last month, PDP-Laban member Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said the ruling party is in the process of finalizing its senatorial ticket for the 2022 elections.
The following personalities were mentioned by Evardone, but were not floated by Matibag:
- Information and Communications Secretary and former senator Gringo Honasan
- Communications Secretary Martin Andanar
- Deputy Speaker and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda
- Senate Majortiy Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri
- Radio and TV anchor Raffy Tulfo
- Former Sen. JV Ejercito
- Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairperson Benjamin Abalos
“Nothing is final yet. the vetting and consultation process is still ongoing,” Evardone told ABS-CBN News in an earlier text message.
Candidates are expected to file their certificates of candidacies before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in October.