Ex-DAR chief Castriciones now included in Isko-Ong Senate slate — Aksyon Demokratiko

GMA, Cavite — Former Agrarian Reform secretary John Castriciones is now included in the Senate slate of presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno, the Aksyon Demokratiko said Thursday.

This was confirmed by Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernest Ramel.

“Yes, we are happy to announce that Former DAR Secretary Castrionces is joining our team,” Ramel said in a phone call to the media.

This makes Castriciones the fourth senatorial aspirant under Moreno’s banner, joining Aksyon senatorial bets Samira Gutoc, Jopet Sison, and Carl Balita.

Castriciones joined Moreno and his campaign sorties in Mindanao.

Ramel said Castriciones is their “guest candidate” at the moment.

He leads the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC), a volunteer group that supported the 2016 presidential bid of then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.

They have Moreno as their presidential candidate for the 2022 elections.

When asked if the MRRD-NECC endorsement affected their decision to include Castriciones in the slate, Ramel said it “started the ball rolling.”

“Well, that, of course, that was the part that started the ball rolling,” Ramel said.

“But more importantly, the group and the party agreed that we feel that Secretary Castriciones... add integrity, dynamism, and progressiveness into the group but he also brings along his years of experience,” he added.

Ramel said Castriciones may add more into Moreno’s agricultural platforms.

Further, Ramel said they expect Castriciones to respect Aksyon Demokratiko’s vice presidential bet Willie Ong, when asked about the MRRD-NECC’s supposed preference of a different vice-presidential candidate.

“I think Secretary Castriciones knows better, no… we expect that he will respect that Mayor Isko's official vice-presidential candidate is Doc Willie,” he said.

Castriciones stepped down as Agrarian Reform secretary then took his oath in October 2021 as a member of PDP-Laban to seek a Senate seat. 

Last week, Moreno already hinted the possibility of Castriciones being included in their Senate slate. 

“Malaki ang posibilidad na 'yon (That is a huge possibility)... The next step is to talk to my fellow candidate in the party and I'll talk to Aksyon Demokratiko execomm and to the team,” Moreno said during a media briefing in Intramuros.

“We will play it by ear as we progress [in] the campaign. ‘Pag marami ang gustong sumakay sa paglalayag namin, mas maganda ‘yon (If many people want to ride with us on our voyage, that's better),” he added. — RSJ, GMA News