Pro-FPJ group backs seven senatorial bets
By Jel Santos
Seven senatorial bets were endorsed on Monday by the Filipinos for Peace, Justice, and Progress Movement (FPJPM) during its proclamation of support at Club Filipino in San Juan City.
Filipinos for Peace, Justice, and Progress Movement (FPJPM) (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
Of the seven senatorial candidates endorsed by the FPJPM – a group that supported the failed presidential bid of the late actor Fernando Poe Jr. – five are among those earlier endorsed by the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) of presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. They were incumbent Sen. Sonny Angara, former senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada, former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go, and former police general Ronald ”Bato” Dela Rosa.
The other candidates endorsed FPJPM are Sen. Grace Poe, daughter of actor Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ), and former senator Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III.
Angara said the endorsement of the group will boost his candidacy, saying the late actor has many supporters until now.
“Malaking boost ‘yan maramig nagmamahal kay FPJ. Definitely malaking tulong sa atin kandidatura. Nagkakaisa kami laban sa katarunganang panlipunan na naging motto at yun ang pinagkakaisa ng grupo. Salamat sa FPJPM (The endorsement of FPJPM is a big boost, especially there are many people who love FPJ. Definitely, it will be a big help to my candidacy. We are one in the fight for justice in our society as that is the motto of the group. Thanks, FPJPM),” Angara said.
Boots Cadsawan, FPJPM president, said his group has more than 500,000 members who will only vote for the seven candidates they are endorsing.
“We will not vote for other candidates, only the seven candidates that we are endorsing. This is to ensure that our votes will only go to them,” he told the media covering the proclamation.
“Before, we endorsed former Vice President Binay, and pledged that he will get the 500,000 votes of our members. He won against Mar Roxas and became the vice president,” he added.
The selection of the seven candidates was based on their survey and FPJ’s values, Cadsawan said.