A PARTY-LIST group of commuters and public utility drivers and operators on Sunday said it will support Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II and his running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo, in the 2016 national elections.
The 1-United Transport Koalisyon or 1-Utak, however, said it will stay away from the congressional race.
“Due to numerous inquiries, I would like to formally announce that 1-Utak will not participate in the 2016 elections, but will instead focus in supporting the campaign of Mar-Leni,” 1-Utak chairman Vigor Mendoza told The Standard in a text message.
“We have set up a command center in Quezon City for this purpose. Details on this will be announced later on,” he said.
The 1-Utak party-list fielded bus operator Homer Mercado as its first nominee in the 2010 elections and won one congressional seat.
In 2012, however, Mercado left 1-Utak for another party-list group, the Alliance of the Marginalized or 1Jam, and was replaced by Zenaida Maranan of the Federation of Jeepney Drivers and Operators of the Philippines.
Mendoza earlier told The Standard that the transport sector was represented by several transport party-lists, and that was “the reason why 1-Utak is no longer running.”