Admin bets have very good chance of winning – Palace

Administration senatorial candidates have a “very good” chance of victory but opposition bets could also make it to the top 12 in the upcoming elections, according to a Palace official.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the assessment even as the administration has yet to release its final senatorial slate for the 2019 midterm polls.

“Given the popularity of the President, the chances of these senatorial candidates of the administration certainly are very good. But we will not discount the fact that there may be some opposition candidates who will win,” Panelo said during a Palace press briefing.

“However, our feeling is that whoever is elected, the message of the electorate would be – we trust this administration. And therefore those who have been elected will have to cooperate with the administration in terms of services that will be beneficial to the electorate and the rest of the nation,” he added.

At present, Panelo said the ruling PDP-Laban party and its ally Hugpong ng Pagbabago were still finalizing the senatorial slate for next year’s elections.

Among the senatorial aspirants of the ruling party are Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel Jr., former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Go, and former Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald dela Rosa.

“It’s being finalized now. The PDPLaban, allied with Hugpong,” Panelo said. “We will make the official announcement. Of course the announcement will be coming from the PDP-Laban and Hugpong,” he added.

He assured the voters that the administration senatorial candidates are competent public servants, and would not only rely on popularity and the President’s endorsement.

“Definitely, they have their own credentials to speak of. I think they will meet the standards,” he said.

Panelo issued the remarks after the opposition coalition announced its eight-person slate for the senatorial elections. The opposition ticket includes Senator Bam Aquino, former Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas, Magdalo party-list group Rep. Gary Alejano, and former Bangsamoro Transition Commission member Samira Gutoc-Tomawis.