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Admin coalition announces Senate slate for 2013 polls


Five incumbent senators, one incumbent congressman, four former lawmakers, a Cabinet official and a cousin of the president have been picked to compose the administration’s senatorial slate for next year’s midterm elections. President Benigno Aquino III led the announcement of the candidates at the historic Club Filipino in San Juan City where his mother, the late President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, took her oath in 1986 following the downfall of the decades-long Marcos regime. "Sila ang rumesponde sa panawagan nating magbuo ng samahan ng mga pareho ang paniniwala, at nangangakong itataguyod ang agenda ng mabuting pamamahala," Aquino said in his speech. Out of the 12 candidates, only three are members of the ruling Liberal Party (LP)—Aquino’s cousin Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, and former senators Ramon “Jun” B. Magsaysay Jr. and Maria Ana Consuelo “Jamby” A.S. Madrigal. Candidates from the Nacionalista Party are incumbent Senators Antonio F. Trillanes IV and Alan Peter C. Cayetano, and former Las Piñas Rep. Cynthia A. Villar, wife of Sen. Manny Villar who was one of Aquino’s opponents in the 2010 presidential elections. Also on the list but running independent of any party are Senator Francis G. Escudero and Movies and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares. Completing the lineup are Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino), Senator Aquilino Martin “Koko” L. Pimentel III (Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan), former Akbayan party-list Rep. Rissa Hontiveros-Baraquel, and Senator Loren B. Legarda (Nationalist People's Coalition).   The LP, NPC, NP, LDP, Akbayan and the National Unity Party (NUP) signed a coalition agreement during the proclamation. — Patricia Denise Chiu/KBK, GMA News

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