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Aguirre joins Alvarez’s nominees to run in Senate
FILE: Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II (PCOO Photo)
Vitaliano Aguirre II, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary is one of the recent personalities to be nominated by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez in Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan’s (PDP-Laban’s) 2019 senatorial slate.
A news release from the House of Representatives quoted Alvarez as saying that he would support Aguirre, during the 81st founding anniversary of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Monday.
“Sa aking pananaw, bagay din si Sec.Vit Aguirre mag-senador (For me, Sec. Vit Aguirre is also suitable to be a senator),” he said.
He would also ask President Rodrigo Roa Duterte if Aguirre can be brought to the Senate “to hasten the passage of laws.”
In the same event, Aguirre reacted to Alvarez’s offer.
“Pwede mangyari iyon kung si President ang magtatanong sa akin but dapat naman ay meron tayong chance to win (It can happen if the Presidents asks me, but then I should have a chance to win),” he told the media.
“Much will depend on what will be the opinion of the President,” he added.
Apart from Aguirre, the House Speaker bared six names for its senatorial slate which include: Presidential Communications Operations Offices (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Margaux “Mocha” Uson, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles, Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman, Negros Occidental Representative Albee Benitez, and political adviser Francis Tolentino.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, PDP-Laban President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said that the list is not yet final, and that these are considered as Alvarez’s nominations rather than an official one.
“But they have a very strong backer within the party, hence we can expect party members to, in due time, confirm their candidacies,” he said
According to Pimentel, the list still has to be approved by the party members and by Duterte as well.
For the Senate President, the important factor rather than the list is to “bring party ideology into Senate priorities and enacted measures, especially federalism.”
