Joseph Peter “Jopet” Sison, a lawyer and TV host/producer, will replace former Vice President and fellow ABS-CBN talent Noli de Castro in the senatorial slate of Aksyon Demokratiko for the 2022 elections.
This developed as Aksyon presidential candidate Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso is set to meet today with political and local leaders in the vote-rich province of Batangas, among the first provinces to throw its full support behind his bid.
In case he wins the presidency, Domagoso also said Thursday he would pursue the country’s claim over the West Philippine Sea in the wake of the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s landmark ruling against China, which claims a vast portion of the waterway.
“We have a paper. We won. We will continue to pursue that,” assured Domagoso, noting that doing business with China is different from surrendering the Philippines’ rights in the WPS.
The withdrawal of de Castro from the Aksyon senatorial slate paved the way for Sison, who worked at ABS-CBN as assistant executive producer of the television legal series “Kapag Nasa Katwiran… Ipaglaban Mo.”
Domagoso and his vice presidential bet, Dr. Willie Ong, will join Sison in Batangas.
The 56-year-old Sison was the former chairman of the Liberal Party in Quezon City.
De Castro withdrew his candidacy due to “personal reasons” with reports saying certain promises were not fulfilled by Aksyon when the former VP and prominent newscaster agreed to join their party.
Sison, meanwhile, was a Quezon City councilor for six years, assistant general manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA) from 2001-2005, and president of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) from 2006-2012.
Batangas, home to more than 1.7 million registered voters in 2019, started the trend of a growing and continuing strong support for Mayor Isko and his “Bilis Kilos” 10-Point Agenda for Governance.
Moments after Domagoso launched his presidential run, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto and House Deputy Speaker Vilma-Santos Recto announced their support for Moreno and Ong.
“Vilma and I, including our supporters in Batangas and coordinators nationwide, are supporting Mayor Isko and Doc Willie for president and Vice President, respectively,” Recto told the media last September 22.
As stalwarts of the Nacionalista Party, Recto and his wife also head the local political party One Batangas.
Five out six Batangas district representatives are members of One Batangas, including all of the 12 provincial board members and most of the province’s mayors, vice mayors and councilors.
Recto said One Batangas is supporting Mayor Isko because he has “the training, skills, experience and leadership to be an outstanding president.”
“He has shown this as mayor of Manila most specially during this pandemic. He is young, energetic and implements his programs quickly.
In ‘Bilis Kilos’ fashion,” Recto said.
Also voicing his support for Moreno’s presidential bid is Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, a PDP-Laban member.
Meanwhile, Moreno urged the public not to lose their focus on the real issues plaguing the country amid the torrent of misleading claims typical in any election cycle.
“Fellow countrymen, strengthen your will. Strengthen your feelings.
All the smokescreens will be done on us to blur our vision,” Moreno said in the Kapihan sa Manila Bay weekly news forum.
The Aksyon standard bearer pointed out that the real enemy is COVID-19, which has brought the country to where it is presently.
“But then again, beware. Be careful, investigate, because they will try to confuse us,” Moreno said.
The Manila mayor said he remains committed to work together with everyone and anybody towards a better future for our country.
“I did not run because I hate anyone. I decided to run to offer my services in my own little way, my experience in managing things and how to work with everyone, with anybody immaterial of their colors,” Moreno stressed.