LP fields scions of Martial Law regime stalwarts Diokno, Aquino, and Tañada for 2019 polls

The scions of the opposition leaders during the Martial Law years joined forces hoping to repeat their elders' success in the 2019 polls.

This developed after the opposition Liberal Party named Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV, former Deputy Speaker Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III and De La Salle University College of Law Dean Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno as its senatorial candidates.

LP Senate bets for 2019 elections, L to R: Senator Bam Aquino, ex Deputy Speaker Tañada, Dean Chel Diokno. Woman beside Diokno is aid worker Samira Gutoc of Marawi City who is also expected to be named as LP's Senate bet in 2019 polls @gmanews pic.twitter.com/koOeyHIOD1

— Llanesca T. Panti (@llanescajourno) September 25, 2018

WATCH: DLSU College of Law Dean Chel Diokno, former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada at Sen. @bamaquino, opisyal na idineklara na pambato ng LP sa pagka-senador. | via @MMakalalad pic.twitter.com/JsdFRxCRsK

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) September 25, 2018

Senator Bam Aquino is the nephew of martyr and Martial Law opposition leader Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. of LP while Tañada is the grandson of former Senator Lorenzo Tañada.

Diokno, on the other hand, is the son of former Senator Jose "Pepe" Diokno who was also detained and stood as an opposition leader during the Martial Law regime of former dictator President Ferdinand Marcos. Lawyer Chel is also one of the founders of the Free Legal Assistance Group which aids victims of human rights violations.

The elder Tañada and Diokno also founded the LP and fought the Martial Law policy of Marcos during the dictatorship years.

“Bilang abogado, marami nang labanan ang aking sinuong para sa mahihirap at inaapi. Binigay ko ang aking boses para sa mga tinanggalan ng tinig. Tumindig ako laban sa mayayaman at makapangyarihan. Ipinagtanggol ko ang mga guro, estudyante, manggagawa, empleyado ng gobyerno, sundalo, pulis, peryodista, whistleblower, magsasaka, at iba pang mga biktima ng opresyon at eksploytasyon. Panahon na para dalhin ko ang labanan sa ibang arena,” Diokno said in his acceptance speech.

“Panahon na para gawing bahagi ng pambansang agenda ang hustisya. Gutom ang taumbayan hindi lang para sa pagkain at trabaho. Nagnanasa tayo lahat sa tunay na kalayaan at katarungan,” he added.

Former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III argued that these second generation of politicians should not be doubted because both their and their elders’ track record are impeccable.

“During the Martial Law regime, people are attacked with tear gas, nakulong ang Lolo ni Erin, si Ka Pepe Diokno… mga iconic figures ito. Sabi ng kasabihan, tumingin sa pinanggalingan para makarating sa paroroonan. Itong mga taong ito [na bagong henerasyon ng Aquino, Tañada at Diokno], matagal ng naninindigan. Hindi weather weather lang,” the former President, whose father Benigno "Ninoy" Jr. was incarcerated for seven years and was assassinated in 1983 during the Martial Law regime, pointed out.

Vice President Leni Robredo, who chairs the LP, and Bam backed up the former President, noting that the new politicians from the same political family are known not for clinging to power but for taking a tough stance in fighting for what is right and just.

“Tatlong pangalan iyong ating pinakilala na nagpakita na ng kahusayan, katatagan ng paniniwala at pagkatao, at dignidad sa panunungkulan. Tatlong pangalan na nanggaling sa mga pamilyang nagpamalas ng kabayanihan. Madalas makita natin, pami-pamilya sa pulitika. Pero iyong ating inihaharap sa inyo ngayon, hindi ito pareho ng iba. Hindi nila minana ang posisyon. Ang tanging minana nila ay iyong magandang pangalan na naiwan ng mga nauna sa kanila. Pero ang tinatayuan nila, galing sa kanilang sariling pawis at dugo,” Robredo said.

Robredo lauded Bam for being one of the authors of the Go Negosyo Law and the Free College Education Law. Also cited were Tañada for being the principal author of the Anti-Trust Law, which bans and penalizes monopolies; and Diokno for being the counsel of the families of victims and those killed in anti-drug war of the Duterte administration.

Robredo also endorsed the possible Senate run of Marawi aid worker Samira Gutoc, who quit her post as a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission when Mindanao was put under martial law as a result of the Marawi siege wherein terrorists from the Maute group held the Islamic City for five months in 2017.

Gutoc also testified before Congress that there were soldiers who were involved in committing sexual abuses against women and children of Marawi due to the military rule.

“Kung inyo pong nakikita, siniseryoso rin po natin iyong pagpili. Marami sa atin nagsasabi na iyong piliin, iyong siguradong mananalo. Pero saan po mapupunta iyong ating bansa kung iyon lang iyong batayan ng ating pagpili?" Robredo said. 

"Kailangan po nating ipresenta sa taumbayan iyong alam natin na walang duda ang pagmamahal sa bayan. Iyong alam natin na matatag ang paniniwala. Iyong alam natin na malinis ang pagkatao. Iyon lamang po iyong gusto nating ipahiwatig sa lahat. Iyon iyong Liberal Party: manalo man, matalo, inaalipusta man, o hindi, malakas parati iyong paninindigan,” she added.

For his part, Bam said: “Isang napansin ko pa yung tatlong initial list ng kandidato: Aquino, Tañada, Diokno. Ano ang pagkakaparehas? Unang-una, lahat ay may kapamilya na naging senador. Pangalawa, lahat po ay nakulong din! Si Tito Ninoy, 7 years 7months. Si Ka Pepe, 2 years. Si Ka Taning, 2 weeks. Lahat yan nakulong. I hope yung pagkakaparehas namin sa 2019, hindi kami makukulong. Sana lahat kami ay magtagumpay."

Robredo and Bam also shrugged off the opposition candidates’ low ranking in the pre-election surveys with less than two weeks left before the filing of candidacy, saying that success is always a work in progress.

“Kung pagbabasehan kasi iyong pinakahuli na lumabas ng Pulse Asia survey, mayroong kaunti lang na may chance na manalo. Pero ako kasi iyong pinakamalaking halimbawa noon, eh," Robredo, who started her vice presidential campaign with a measly 1 percent rating in pre-election surveys, said.

Napakaaga pa para pag-usapan iyong chances, kasi in the middle of the campaign season, talagang umiiba iyong ihip ng hangin. Nakita natin iyon noong 2016 Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections,” she added.

Robredo’s ratings eventually hurdled the 30 percent mark just in time and eventually beat frontrunner and former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. by 263,473 votes.

“Iyong sa akin lang, klaro sa amin na hindi kami magpapadala sa popularidad bilang iyon iyong pinakamalaking batayan para sa pagpili ng kandidato. Klaro sa amin na mayroong, parang, checklist. Saan ba tumatayo iyong nominee na ito sa ilan na mga issues," she said.

"Kasi mahirap magsama iyong iba’t iba iyong paniniwala; hindi malakas iyong samahan. Mas mabuti pa rin na paniniwala iyong basehan kung bakit kami nagsasama-sama,” Robredo added.

Bam urged the candidates and his fellow party members to work together in convincing people to support their slate.

“Para sa aking mga kasama dito sa initial list, hihilingin natin yung tulong nating lahat. Nakikita naman natin na tayong lahat ay nahuhuli sa survey. Hindi ako natatakot sa mga numerong yun. Ibig lang sabihin, kailangan pa tayong magtrabaho," he said.

"Hindi tayo pwedeng makuntento na tayo-tayo lang ang mga kausap natin. Kailangan mag reach out tayo. Lahat naman tayo may kamag-anak, may kaibigan, at may officemate na tingin natin kaya naman natin makumbinsi. Ganun dapat,” Bam added.

The LP members adopted a resolution accepting the nomination of the three newly announced senatorial bets.

"Our members are articulate and respectful, but are not elitist," LP President and Senator Francis Pangilinan said.

"May paninindigan, may isang salita, epektibong lingkod bayan," Pangilinan added. —KG, GMA News