FebruarY 13, e019
+Wednesday,
Otso Deretso senatorial bets hoPe
for an independent Senate, beffer PH
By flr ffi L roRRloozA
Senatorial bets belonging to the op-
position coalition on Thesday reiterated
the need for an independent Senate to
safeguard the welfare of the Filipino
' people.
Re-electionist Sen. Paolo "Bam"
Aquino lV warned against a rubber-
stamp Senate, stressing that an inde-
pendent Upper chamber will ensure
that the welfare and interest of the
Filipino people are protected.
"This is not about taking lsides
whether you are for the administration
or the opposition. We need to be on the
side of the Filipino," said Aquino, who
is running under the "Otso Diretso"
banner
"We need to make sure that the next
Senate is independent for the sake of
the people," added Aquino.
Aquino warned the country and
the Filipino people would or y suffer if
the Senate will simply give in to every
desire of the administration.
"It won t be good for the country if
all those in the Senate would just bow
to the whims of the administration. We
need people that would stand up for the
public interest," he said.
Former Senator Manuel Roxas II,
t* F.Aq.t
who is eyeing a return in the Senate,
said he tully believes that the Philip-
pines "can be better."
"That is the reason I am running
again for a Senate seat. I want to leave
the country in a much better state than
ever before," said Roxas who launched
his senatorial cimpaign in Rotas City.
"I hope to use my experience as
an economist to help generate more
jobs for Filipinos and bring down the
prices of goods and basic necessities,"
he said.
Roxas, a defeated presidential can-
ditlate in the 2016 elections, had earlier
said he wish to be a positive contributor
to the Duterte administration.
If he wins another Senate term in
the upcoming May 2019 elections, he
said will pursue a legislative agend4
that will focus "primarily on improving
the country's economy."
TIie 'Otso Deretso' senatorial bets
kicked off their campaign in Caloocan
City Other opposition senatorial candi-
dates include Magdalo Representative
GaryAlejano, human rights lawyer Chel
Diokno, Marawi civic leader Sirnira
Gutoc, election lawyer Romy Macalirltal,
and former House deputy speaker Erih
Taliada. (With a report from Minka
Klaudia S. fiangco)
-q "