LP hopes to sweep polls with veterans, newbies in Senate ticket

MANILA, Philippines - The ruling Liberal Party (LP) expressed hope on Monday that its 12-person senatorial lineup will dominate the 2016 elections.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, LP's campaign manager, described their senatorial candidates as "dynamic Filipinos" who "we know will not fail us."

"It is our hope that they sweep the Senate elections in 2016," said Belmonte, who is also the vice president of the LP.

The LP is fielding former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II as its presidential candidate and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo as his running mate.

The party's senatorial slate is a mix of Senate and House veterans, election neophytes, sectoral representatives, Cabinet secretaries and appointees of President Benigno Aquino III.

"With Mar and Leni, we are ready. We are willing and able to have a good fight in the 2016 elections," said Senate President Franklin Drilon, one of the LP senatorial candidates.

Besides Drilon, incumbent Sens. Teofisto Guingona and Ralph Recto and former Sens. Francis Pangilinan and Ping Lacson were among the veterans included in the LP lineup.

The Cabinet executives and presidential appointees in the LP slate were outgoing Justice Secretary Leila De Lima, former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, resigned Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Joel Villanueva, PhilHealth Director Risa Hontiveros as its senatorial bets and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority general manager Mark Lapid.

Unlike Hontiveros, the four other government executives are all neophytes in the senatorial race.

The last two candidates of LP are lesser known officials who are also running for senator for the first time: Nariman Ambolodto and Coop Natcco Party-list Rep. Cresente Paez

Ambolodto, the incumbent interior assistant secretary for Muslim affairs, was a teacher by profession and former acting governor of Maguindanao.

Drilon said Ambolodto did not come from a wealthy or influential family and was displaced by armed conflict in her province as a child.

"She needs our help because she deserves to be in the Senate," Drilon said.

Paez, on the other hand, is a civil society leader who fights for marginalized groups such as farmers, according to Drilon.

Drilon said the LP's senatorial candidates will sustain Aquino's reforms.

"In the next administration, these senatorial candidates will carry the torch so that we can continue to provide a better future for the country," he said.

In his endorsement speech, Aquino heaped praises on the LP senatorial slate, claiming that it has a true track record and platform.

"Maliwanag nga na habang tagpi-tagpi ang grupo ng iba: Tayo ang may totoong tandem. Tayo ang may totoong rekord at plataporma. Tayo ang nasa panig ng prinsipyo at reporma. Tayo ang Daang Matuwid," Aquino said.