Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has pressed for a “strong”
opposition coalition in 2019 that would unite, among others, against alleged
extra judicial killings (EJKs) and human rights abuses in the country.
“Democracy
demands dissent. We need a strong opposition to ensure that our democracy
remains vibrant,” Pangilinan, the President of Liberal Party
(LP) said in a statement on Tuesday.
The LP, he said, hopes to help build the “broadest coalition of groups and individuals united behind defending our
freedoms and our civil and political rights.”
We hope this coalition is one in ensuring our economic
development is not sidelined by corruption and human rights violations. Resistance
is our movement. We must vigorously resist the slide to authoritarianism and
anti-democratic rule,”
the senator said.
Pangilinan clarified that the
LP would only help build this coalition, which was dubbed as the “Resistance
Coalition.”
“LP alone cannot
achieve this and we will need to work with other groups and forces willing to
unite and to resist extra judicial killings and human rights abuses, the
undermining of our sovereignty in the West Phil Sea and the continuing rise of
prices of basic commodities among others,” he said in a text message.
“A resistance coalition rather than an LP coalition is
what needs to be realized,”
he added.
Pangilinan refused to provide
more details on the coalition while talks are still ongoing.
It was Senator Bam Aquino, an
LP member, who earlier raised the need for a “genuine” opposition slate that he
said should be willing to oppose and stand up against government policies
damaging to people.
“If
you ask me, in 2019, there’s a need for a genuine opposition slate. Kailangan
ng mga taong magsasama-sama, magtutulong-tulong para labanan ang polisiya ng
administrasyon na nakakasakit sa tao. And I think you will find me on that
slate,” Aquino said in a television interview on Monday.
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