THE ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan has released its initial roster of personalities who may comprise the party's senatorial slate in the upcoming 2019 midterm elections.
In a social media post hours before the party's national leaders assembly attended by its chairman, President Rodrigo Duterte, Ronwald Munsayac, PDP-Laban's public information committee chair, indicated the names of those who may be included in the slate, including the "friends of the party."
Listed party members were Senator Aquilino Pimentel III; Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go; Presidential Political Adviser Francis Tolentino; Representatives Karlo Nograles (Davao City), Zajid Mangudadatu (Maguindanao), Monsour del Rosario (Makati), and Dakila Carlo Cua (Quirino); broadcast journalist Jiggy Manicad; and singer Freddie Aguilar.
The "friends of the party" who might also run under the administration ticket are Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., Bureau of Corrections director Ronald dela Rosa, actor and former senator Lito Lapid, Taguig Representative Pia Cayetano, actor Robin Padilla, former Local Government Secretary Rafael Alunan, and columnist Ramon Tulfo.
Other re-electionist senators who might be endorsed by the PDP-Laban included incumbent senators Cynthia Villar, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Juand Edgardo Angara, Grace Poe, and Nancy Binay.
Duterte, who graced the assembly vowed anew for a clean and honest elections next year.
"It will be clean. The votes will be cast and will be counted correctly," the President said before his fellow PDP-Laban members.
On August 17, the President delivered a similar speech during the Hugpong ng Pagbabago Convention held in Davao City, assuring the country of that his administration will ensure that intimidation and vote-buying will not prevail during the elections next year.
The Chief Executive vowed to implement security measures like gun restrictions and police checkpoints nationwide, in a bid to have a secured campaign and election period.
He added that he would limit the number of armed guards that a politician or a candidate may hire during the election period.
"I will limit the firearms to only two. Uniformed security, dalawa lang (only two)," he said.
"You must surrender your excess firearms. Do not go around in excess of about two. But we will assign every candidate ng (of) security," the President added.
He also assured of fair treatment of different political parties' potential candidates in the 2019 elections.
He likewise encouraged his fellow PDP-Laban members to maintain the party's integrity, as he promised to give them full support as they move forward in "realizing our dream of building a stronger and more prosperous nation."
"I trust that every member of PDP-Laban will be with me as we bring about real and lasting change for the sake of our people and our democratic institutions, and for our children, and their children to come," Duterte said. (Ruth Abbey Gita/SunStar Philippines)