Makabayan听bloc听denies听endorsing听Manila mayor听for听president听听听
THE MAKABAYAN coalition,听which holds six听party-list seats in the House of Representatives,听denied endorsing any听presidential candidate for next year鈥檚 elections听at this point, saying they have yet to make a decision.听听听
鈥淎t this point, we believe that the focus should be on forging the broadest unity among democratic forces against听(President Rodrigo R.)听Duterte and听(presidential听candidate Ferdinand听鈥淏ongbong鈥澨齊.)听Marcos,鈥澨齮hey said in a statement听on Saturday evening.听听
This comes after former听senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV accused the group of pushing for Manila Mayor Francisco听鈥淚sko鈥澨齅. Domagoso to be nominated as opposition coalition 1Sambayan鈥檚 presidential candidate.听听
1Sambayan endorsed Vice-President听Maria Leonor听鈥淟eni鈥澨鼼. Robredo听before she announced her candidacy for the country鈥檚 top post.听听
鈥淢akabayan wants Neri (Colmenares) to be included in VP鈥檚 (senatorial) slate. But Makabayan has yet to endorse VP. In fact, in 1Sambayan, they did not vote for VP, and were pushing for Isko,鈥澨齮weeted Mr. Trillanes, who is part of Ms. Robredo鈥檚听senatorial slate.听听
Makabayan听said in another听statement on Sunday that they have not yet endorsed听Ms. Robredo as there are long-term issues听that have听to be discussed with her camp.听听
“We also need to discuss the reforms that need to be put in place in the next 6 years including land reform, national industrialization, labor contractualization, the peace process, and so on,” they said.听听
Ms. Robredo听announced听her lineup on Friday,听which included allies from the Liberal Party along with former political foes such as Senators Emmanuel Joel Villanueva, Richard听鈥淒ick鈥澨齁. Gordon, and former Vice-President Jejomar听鈥淛ojo鈥澨鼵. Binay, Sr.听听听听
She said that the 12th听spot in her Senate slate would be open to someone听鈥渨ho will best represent the marginalized sectors.鈥澨鼿uman rights activist听Neri听J. Colmenares under Makabayan and labor leader Joe Sonny G. Matula are among her camp鈥檚 top choices.听
Makabayan said Friday that they respect Ms. Robredo鈥檚 choice on her slate and will remain focused on their goal to uphold the rights of marginalized sectors in next year鈥檚 elections.听听
In the 2016 presidential elections, the group endorsed Senator Mary Grace Natividad S. Poe-Llamanzares.听听
In the 2019 elections, the coalition听won six听party-list seats,听with Bayan Muna getting the maximum of three representatives听while听Gabriela Women’s Party-list, ACT Teachers,听and听Kabataan听got one each.听鈥斕齊ussell Louis C. Ku听
