Chel Diokno to听take another shot at Senate seat in 2022听听听
HUMAN RIGHTS lawyer Jose Manuel 鈥淐hel鈥 I. Diokno said late Tuesday that he will be running once again for a Senate seat in the 2022 elections as an independent candidate.听听
鈥淚鈥檝e had two years to think about it and to plan how to wage a better campaign and during this time… the political landscape has changed,鈥澨齢e said in a One News interview.听听
He said there is no听guarantee听that politicians allied to President Rodrigo R. Duterte will win next year as his term ends and people have become more vocal about their opinions on the government,听which opens an opportunity for听opposition candidates.听听
However, he also said that the opposition would have a greater chance to win in 2022 under a united slate.听听
Mr. Diokno first ran for a Senate seat in the 2019 midyear election under the Otso听Diretso听group听where he placed 21st听out of 62 senatorial candidates with 6.34 million votes or 13.41% of total votes.听听
Otso听Diretso听included former senators Manuel 鈥淢ar鈥 A. Roxas II and Paolo Benigno听鈥淏am鈥澨鼳. Aquino IV, election lawyer Romulo B. Macalintal, former Solicitor General Florin T.听Hilbay, and former听Magdalo听Party-list Rep. Gary C.听Alejano, among others.听听
鈥淚t was quite an experience for me and a challenging journey. We did not have much resources… We were at a tremendous disadvantage when it came to the air wars especially when you talk about television ads,鈥澨齢e听said.听听
Mr. Diokno confirmed his intent to run in the 2022 elections on June 16 after opposition coalition 1Sambayan listed Mr. Diokno as one of their official nominees for president and vice president.听听听听
鈥淵es, to be clear, I will run in 2022. It’s difficult now to make a final decision about what position, and I never aspired for President or VP, which 1Sambayan has nominated me for,鈥澨齢e said in a tweet.听听
Mr. Diokno currently serves as chair of the Free Legal Assistance Group, a group of human rights lawyers that represent activists, urban poor, and journalists, among others.听鈥斕齊ussell Louis C. Ku听
