Election countdown on: Where’s the opposition?
‘It’s true that there’s not a united opposition today, but within the broader opposition forces, there are unified battles and issues’
Campaign kickoff Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and Vice Mayor Gian Sotto file their Certificates of Candidacy at the Amoranto Sports Complex, aiming to solidify their leadership in a city buzzing with anticipation and ambition. Joining them are former Speaker Sonny Belmonte and ex-Senate President Tito Sotto, among others. Top photo: Speaker Martin Romualdez shows off his CoC in Tacloban City.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANALY LABOR AND Martin Romualdez FBPAGE FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE @tribunephl_ana
The filing of certificates of candidacy for national and local positions marks the start of the electoral season, but one question stands out: Where is the opposition?
Following the landslide victory of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the 2022 presidential elections, the opposition has failed to come up with a united front, its influence diminished by shifting allegiances, personality-driven politics, and the dominance of political dynasties.
The Liberal Party, the primary opposition group during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, suffers from a lack of grassroots support and the exodus of its prominent members.
Leni Robredo, the LP’s standard-bearer in 2022, has decided to run for mayor of her hometown Naga City. She, however, has yet to file her CoC.
The once-powerful Partido Demokratiko Pilipino of Duterte has been weakened by defections. It has nominated only three Senate candidates so far: incumbents Christopher “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, along with actor Phillip Salvador.
The opposition’s struggle for relevance is further complicated by the switching of loyalties depending on the administration in power. This practice, known as turncoatism, has prevented opposition parties from building a sustained influence.
No united opposition
InfraWatch convenor Terry Ridon acknowledged that while there isn’t a broad opposition coalition, various groups still advocate for their shared goals, such as initiating the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“It’s true that there’s not a united opposition today, but within the broader opposition forces, there are unified battles and issues,” Ridon told DAILY TRIBUNE.
In 2023, a pre-trial chamber of the ICC authorized the prosecutor to resume an investigation into alleged crimes committed by Duterte from November 2011 to June 2016, including extrajudicial killings in Davao City.
“They each have their own advocacies, but for the most part, they are united in holding the Duterte government accountable,” Ridon said. “This is evident in the statements of [Leila] de Lima and our colleagues from the Makabayan bloc.”
De Lima, a former senator, has been named the first nominee for the LP-backed partylist group Mamamayang Liberal.
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, another opposition stalwart, was initially set to run for the Senate for the third time before the Akbayan Party announced he would be their first nominee for their party-list group.
For Ridon, this was a strategic move.
“It’s easier to win in the party-list than in the Senate. The requirement for the Senate is at least 15 million votes, but to be safe you need around 30 million. In the partylist, you only need a minimum of 400,000 votes,” he explained.
“If the goal of some opposition members is to place advocates in Congress or the Senate, then it’s a smart move by the Akbayan Party to field Chel Diokno in the partylist.”
Interestingly, no candidates for senator or partylist representative from the opposition appeared on Tuesday.
The Akbayan Party previously announced plans to field former senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino in its senatorial lineup in the 2025 elections.
Pangilinan ran in 2022 as Robredo’s running mate, while Aquino was defeated in the 2019 elections, finishing 14th and missing out on a spot in the top 12.
