Sara Duterte's Hugpong ng Pagbabago bares senatorial line-up

MANILA, Philippines — Two presidential aides and five lawmakers are included in the senatorial slate of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago party.

According to a list posted by the CNN, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP)'s senatorial line-up includes the following personalities:

• Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque
• Special assistant to the president Bong Go
• Sen. Cynthia Villar
• Sen. JV Ejercito
• Sen. Sonny Angara
• Rep. Pia Cayetano
• Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu
• Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos
• Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa

Hugpong ng Pagbabago has at least three national political parties and six local groupings under its alliance: Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and National Unity Party (NUP), and local groups Serbisyo sa Bayan Party (SBP) of Quezon City, Alyansa Bol-anon Alang sa Kausaban (ABAKA) of Bohol and Zamboanga del Norte’s Aggrupation of Party for Progress (APP).

READ: 9 parties join Sara group

No less than President Rodrigo Duterte graced the party’s convention in Davao on Friday afternoon.

In his speech, the president referred to Dela Rosa as “senator.”

He also said that he can support the party “morally, politically, kung makinig pa ang tao sakin (if people will still listen to me).”

House speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Thursday night said the younger Duterte will play an important role in the national scene.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Arroyo said that the children of presidents “have played a prominent role in national political life.” — Kristine Joy Patag