Opposition eyes quality slate; Bam expects ratings to rebound

MANILA, Philippines — Quality, not popularity, should be in the Liberal Party senatorial slate.

Vice President Leni Robredo made the remark as she stressed the popularity of the candidate will be the last consideration in choosing the opposition slate for next year’s elections.

Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, meanwhile, over the weekend he expects his ratings to improve after his cousin, TV personality Kris Aquino, announced she would not run for senator next year.

“The results showed that two Aquinos do not yield positive results in these surveys, as it may have split the support from possible voters,” the senator said, after a recent survey placed him out of the winning circle.

Robredo, heading the opposition coalition, said they will field people of good quality rather than popular ones.

“We all agree that popularity will be the last consideration (in choosing the opposition slate),” Robredo said in an interview with The Chiefs on Cignal TV’s One News channel on Thursday.

The opposition coalition is composed of the Liberal Party, Magdalo, Akbayan, Aksyon Demokratiko and Tindig Pilipinas. 

“There are still discussions on whether or not we will field a complete slate, meaning 12 candidates. But some of us also think it would be better to field an incomplete slate but of good quality,” Robredo stressed.

Former senator and interior secretary Manuel Roxas II was the only personality from the LP who has statistical chance of winning next year’s polls, based on the Sept. 1-7 survey of Pulse Asia released on Saturday.

Senator Aquino, so far the only sure candidate to run under LP, was out of the winning circle based on the Pulse Asia survey, ranking 18th to 23rd places.

Robredo said a shortlist of LP candidates would be submitted to her during the party’s National Executive Council meeting scheduled tomorrow.

Robredo serves as chairperson of LP, being its highest elected official.

“Because the filing (of the certificates of candidacies) was moved to Oct. 11, I think the announcement will be around that time — of the coalition slate,” she said.

Apart from Roxas, the LP is also courting ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to join the opposition senatorial lineup.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who landed in the winning circle, said she is thankful that she landed in the top five in the survey.

But Carpio said she would rather run for reelection next year as mayor of Davao City.

“I am overwhelmed by the trust and confidence. I think our fellow Filipinos are interested in the work that my administration, both now and in 2010, has done in Davao City,” Carpio said. 

“If the Dabawenyos will re-elect me, I would like to continue working for Davao City as mayor. Thank you,” she said. 

Poe, on the other hand, said she was “humbled and grateful for the continued support of our people.”

“It is uplifting that women are being recognized as effective, decisive and compassionate leaders,” Poe said in a statement.

As for now, “Let us focus on clear and present challenges,” she added. – With Paolo Romero, Edith Regalado