Basted agad! Poe, Bro Eddie, Vilma Santos reject 1Sambayan’s presidential nomination

Opposition coalition 1Sambayan’s quest to field a winning presidential candidate in 2022 is off to an embarrassing start as three of the politikos it shortlisted for the position said they’re not aiming for higher office.

Senator Grace Poe and Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos Recto, as well as the family of CIBAC party-list Rep. Eddie Villanueva all rejected their nominations by 1Sambayan Saturday (June 12).

READ: Vilma Santos on 1Sambayan nomination: I have no plans for 2022

“[W]ala akong planong tumakbo sa pagka-Pangulo sa darating na eleksyon. Sa abot ng aking makakaya bilang senador, nais kong pagtuunan ng atensyon ang pag-ahon ng ating mga kababayan mula sa pandemyang ito,” Poe said.

READ: Chel Diokno ‘very honored’ by 1Sambayan nomination

Santos Recto, meanwhile, said she wants to remain in Congress: “I want to concentrate in my distinct- Lipa City. I want to focus in vaccinating my people in Lipa and provide families the assistance they need.”

Senator Joel Villanueva said that while he can’t speak for his father, their family isn’t keen on going through another presidential campaign.

“Obviously we are not interested to embark on a journey to the Presidency [especially] after the tragedy that the family has gone through the past year,” the lawmaker said.

Joel’s mother, Dory, and sister, Bocaue Mayor Joni Villanueva, both died in 2020.

Rep. Villanueva ran for president in 2004 and 2010 but lost.

Coinciding with Independence Day, 1Sambayan released the names of six politikos on its shortlist for president and vice president. The other three are: Vice President Leni Robredo, abogado Chel Diokno and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

The coalition aims to field one presidential and vice presidential candidate to go against the administration bets.

1 Sambayan counts among its convenors retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario.

Prior to the June 12 event, Senators Panfilo Lacson and Nancy Binay had rejected 1Sambayan’s invitation to be nominated as candidates for president and vice president.

Binay said she doesn’t have plans of running for higher office while Lacson said the coalition already “precluded” him from being shortlisted because Carpio previously said there would be a “stumbling block” if 1Sambayan endorses the senator for president.

Lacson supported the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 while the coalition opposes it.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)