After nominees for Eleksyon 2022 decline, Roque wishes 1Sambayan 'the best'

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday wished the 1Sambayan nominees for the 2022 elections "the best" while saying that the opposition coalition is facing an uphill battle.

"Dalawa lang ang tumanggap, si Vice President Robredo at former Senator Trillanes. I wish them the best kaso mukhang mahirap talaga ang kausa ng 1Sambayan kasi karamihan ng na-nominate [ay] tumanggi," Roque said in an Unang Balita interview.

(Only Vice President Leni Robredo and former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV accepted their nomination. I wish 1Sambayan the best although their cause seems lost as most of their nominees have declined.)

On Saturday, Independence Day, 1Sambayan bared their nominees for president and vice president as follows: Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Grace Poe, lawyer Chel Diokno, CIBAC party-list representative Eddie Villanueva, Batangas Representative Vilma Santos-Recto, and former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Of the nominees, only Robredo and Trillanes did not decline their nomination.

Meanwhile, in the same interview, Roque confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte is urging television host Willie Revillame to run for senator or even president.

"Kinukumpirma ko po iyan [I confirm that]," he said.

Roque also said the President has yet to schedule a meeting with PDP Laban party-mate Senator Manny Pacquiao, who has asked for a meeting amid the "simple misunderstanding" within the ruling party.

The rift stemmed when Pacquiao, the acting PDP-Laban president, asked members not to attend the party's May 31 national council meeting organized by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

The meeting, however, pushed through after Malacañang said it has the blessing of Duterte, the party's chairman. --KBK, GMA News