2022 Philippine Elections

Angara’s LDP eyes alliance with Sara Duterte’s HNP for 2022

Pia Ranada

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Angara’s LDP eyes alliance with Sara Duterte’s HNP for 2022

LOOKING TOWARDS 2022. Parties are forming alliances in preparation for the 2022 national elections.

Photo of Sonny Angara by Angie de Silva, photo of Sara Duterte by Maria Tan

'It would be a great honor if we were to be even considered as VP material,' says Senator Sonny Angara, when asked if he hoped to be considered as Sara Duterte's running mate if she runs for president

Two more national political parties want to forge an alliance with the regional party of presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, one of them the party of Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.

Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) secretary-general Anthony del Rosario and Angara confirmed this to Rappler on Wednesday, August 4.

“Two new parties are hoping for an alliance, Angara’s Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) and Partido Federal ng Pilipinas,” said Del Rosario in a phone call.

The two groups expressed their intent to ally with HNP in mid-July. They have both been sent a copy of a draft agreement HNP intends to sign with all political parties it will ally with for the 2022 elections.

“We said we were open to an alliance with HNP and other parties, given the harmonious relationship dating back to 2019 with HNP where we were adopted as a senatorial candidate in that year’s election,” Angara told Rappler.

HNP is now waiting to receive all the feedback from the now seven parties that wish to be a part of a coalition.

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Is Angara, who is president of LDP, asking to be considered as a possible running mate for Sara if she decides to seek the presidency?

“It would be a great honor if we were to be even considered as VP (vice president) material,” said Angara.

LDP was led by Angara’s father, the late senator Edgardo Angara, and was founded in 1988. The senator took over his father’s party in 2018.

The younger Angara was included in HNP’s 2019 senatorial slate. Mayor Duterte had actively campaigned for the slate. On the campaign trail, Sara often said she believed Angara would be capable of holding any public post, including president.

Iboboto ko ito bilang presidente. Napanood ko siya sa TV. Alam niya sinasabi niya (I would vote him for president. I watched him on TV. He knows what he’s saying),” the Davao City mayor had said.

Castriciones’ party

Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), meanwhile, is a party founded by Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones. It’s members include Land Bank board member and former interior undersecretary Jesus Hinlo Jr. and South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr.

It was given party accreditation by the Commission on Elections only in 2018.

NPC not joining alliance?

Meanwhile, one major national political party, the Nationalist Peoples’ Coalition, appears less than keen to join the HNP coalition this time around.

NPC sealed an alliance with HNP in August 2018, in preparation for the 2019 elections.

Del Rosario said the party has so far not responded to HNP’s offers of an alliance.

NPC chairperson Senate President Vicente Sotto III has thumbed down the partnership, saying it would be at odds with NPC’s alliance with Partido Reporma which will be fielding candidates in the Davao region.

Reporma is led by erstwhile Duterte ally Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez who won against Del Rosario in the 2019 elections.

Sotto himself is running for vice president. He is the running mate of Senator Panfilo Lacson, running for president under Reporma’s banner. Lacson is also now Reporma chairman while Alvarez is party president.

But another NPC member, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, told ANC Headstart his wish to be Sara’s running mate should she decide to run for president.

HNP has no set date for the signing of its alliance agreements with the seven political parties, said Del Rosario. They are also waiting to hear from Sara on her final decision whether or not to seek a national post next year.

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Waiting for Sara

Waiting for Sara

– Rappler.com

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Pia Ranada

Pia Ranada is Rappler’s Community Lead, in charge of linking our journalism with communities for impact.