Akbayan eyes Kiko Pangilinan, Bam Aquino, Chel Diokno for 2025 Senate slate

The Akbayan party on Thursday said that it is eyeing former senators Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and Bam Aquino and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno as Senate bets for a democratic opposition slate in the 2025 polls.

Akbayan president Rafaela David made the announcement during the Akbayan Congress, saying that the party's own Senator Risa Hontiveros should not remain the lone opposition lawmaker in the Senate.

“Sisiguraduhin natin na dapat may kasama si Senator Risa Hontiveros sa Senado bilang parte ng democratic opposition sa kanyang mga adbokasiya at mga pinapasang batas. Kaya tayo ay susuporta sa mga [taong] naniniwala tayo na talagang kabilang doon sa democratic oposisyon na sana ay makapasok sa Senado ngayong 2025,” David told reporters.

(We want to ensure that Senator Risa Hontiveros has others in the Senate who are part of the democratic opposition who also champion her advocacies and laws. This is why we will support those whom we believe are truly part of the democratic opposition whom we hope will make it to the Senate in 2025.)

“Our Congress will process [nominations] in the next two days. Pero klaro na inimbitahan natin sa ating patitipon ngayong umaga si former senator Bam Aquino, [former] senator Kiko Pangilinan at gayon din si Chel Diokno. Tayo ay naniniwala ay makakadagdag sa boses ng demokratikong oposisyon sa Senado. So automatic sila, nandoon na sila,” David added.

(It is clear that we have invited former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino, as well as Chel Diokno, this morning. We believe that they will add to the democratic voices in the Senate, so automatically they are on our list.)

GMA News Online has reached out to Pangilinan, Aquino and Diokno for comment.

Pangilinan ran for Vice President in the 2022 polls, but overwhelmingly lost by around 22 million votes. Aquino also lost in the 2019 polls by ranking 14th, missing the top 12. Diokno also lost his Senate bids in the 2019 and 2022 elections, finishing 21st and 19th, respectively.

Hontiveros, for her part, said boosting the opposition ranks is crucial in making up for many of the occurrences during the past administration, such as the government's war on drugs that has killed thousands of Filipinos, and the rise of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) industry, which has since been linked to crimes such as human trafficking.

“Kailangan na kailangan nating palawakin pa ang ating mga hanay. Alam ko na nasa kukote na natin ito, pero mas lalong mahalagang igiit ito lalo pa at palapit na ang 2025 midterm elections [We really need to expand our ranks. We have been thinking about this, but this needs to be stressed with the 2025 midterm elections looming]. I trust that we in Akbayan, together with our allies, can rally more voices and put even more pressure behind the push to make [former president Rodrigo] Duterte and his acolytes accountable for his crimes against humanity, for his sins against the most vulnerable Filipino people,” Hontiveros said.

“Ngayon na naglalaho na ang 'Uniteam' [now that the 'Uniteam' has dissolved], let us take this opportunity to take immediate action. Let us all use this time to reinvigorate our base, broaden our alliance, and show the Filipino people that we, who are part of the genuine opposition, can offer a much, much better alternative. We must—and I know—we will be able to recruit more for the opposition,” she added.

The "Uniteam" refers to the partnership of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and running mate Sara Duterte, the former president's daughter, in the 2022 elections. They both won, but the union has since seemingly dissipated, with Vice President Duterte resigning from the Marcos cabinet and staying away from his State of the Nation Address last month. Former president Duterte and his son, Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, have also been openly critical of Marcos.

“While Sara is in power, the threat of a full-blown Duterte comeback is still a very real and present danger,” Hontiveros said.

She also cited the importance of strengthening the grassroots network that can propel its candidates to the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“The work Akbayan does in encouraging engagement in the local elections by contesting local elective positions has been invaluable. All through the years, Akbayan’s strength has always been from our communities on the ground,” she said.

“Mula noon hanggang ngayon, ang ating kapangyarihan ay nagmumula sa bawat komunidad, sa bawat batayang sektor, sa bawat karaniwang Pilipinong naniniwala sa mga repormang ating isinulong, ipinaglaban, at ipinapanalo. Maghanda tayong lumaban muli para sa 2025, muli sa 2028, at muli’t-muli hanggang sa makamit natin ang isang Pilipinas na pantay at makatarungan para sa lahat,” Hontiveros added.

(From then until now, our strength comes from communities, base sectors, from ordinary Filipinos who believe in reforms that we have pushed for, fought for and won. We should be ready to fight again in 2025, then in 2028, and again until we have a country that is fair and just for all.) — BM, GMA Integrated News