Alvarez wants Bong Go to run for senator

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday said he is trying to persuade Special Assistant to the President Secretary Bong Go to run for senator under the banner of the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) in the 2019 midterm elections.

Alvarez made the pronouncement before an estimated 5,500 new members of the part during their oath-taking at Bacong town in Negros Oriental.

“I’d like to convince someone to run for senator. I’d like to convince Christopher Lawrence Go—do you know him? No? Do you know Bong Go who is always with the President? He’s the one who’s always taking selfie, the selfie king?” he told the audience in their local dialect.

Go earned the monicker of "national photo bomber" during the 2016 elections for always being in the photos beside then-presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte.

Alvarez said he would like to push Go to run because PDP-Laban needs a candidate from Mindanao.

Alvarez also introduced Oriental Mindoro Representative Reynaldo Umali, Maguindanao Representative Sajid Mangudadatu, and Negros Occidental Representative Alfredo “Albee” Benitez as among those being considered as PDP senatorial candidates.

He noted that it has been "too long" since a Muslim ran for senator, referring to the endorsement of Mangudadatu.

Alvarez, who also serves as the party's secretary-general, earlier named other individuals who may be included in their senatorial slate for the 2019 elections.

These include presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, communications assistant secretary Mocha Uson, Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles, and Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman. — BM, GMA News