MANILA — Activist and scholar Walden Bello on Wednesday announced he is running for vice president in Halalan 2022 as the running mate of presidential aspirant and labor leader Leody de Guzman.

JUST IN: Former Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello is the new running mate of presidential aspirant Leody de Guzman, Partido Lakas ng Masa announces in an FB post.

Bello will substitute for Raquel Castillo, who filed COC for VP under PLM last Oct. 8. pic.twitter.com/uwzNUz7evq

— J.E. Villaruel (@jauhnetienne) October 20, 2021

The surprise partnership was initially announced in the social media pages of Laban ng Masa, as well as in De Guzman's party Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM).

Bello confirmed his candidacy on Twitter.

"It's official. I am running for Vice President of the Philippines. I have no other choice but to enter this fight against the greatest peril the country faces today, the Marcos-Duterte Axis of Evil," Bello said in a tweet.

It's official. I am running for Vice President of the Philippines.

I have no other choice but to enter this fight against the greatest peril the country faces today, the Marcos-Duterte Axis of Evil. https://t.co/7EckHzJ1QE

— Walden Bello (@WaldenBello) October 20, 2021

Laban ng Masa said Bello will substitute for Raquel Castillo, who filed her certificate of candidacy for vice president under PLM.

ABS-CBN News sought the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) comment on Bello's substitution but the poll body has yet to respond.

Bello is the former House representative of Akbayan partylist but he resigned in 2015 over political differences with the Aquino administration.

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Bello is currently an adjunct professor of sociology at the State University of New York at Binghamton, according to Laban ng Masa.

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