By JONAS ALPASAN
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – A coalition of progressive partylists has expressed their support to 10 more senatorial candidates two weeks before the May 9 election.
In a statement read by its co-chairperson Satur Ocampo, Makabayan Coalition said in Filipino, “This declaration by the Makabayan Coalition shows the further expansion of the opposition and the unity for change. This unity is important to advance the interest of the people and to improve the lives of many, as well as to stop human rights violations and to reopen peace talks.”
Read: Bulatlat Special Coverage: People’s Agenda 2022
The 10 candidates they are supporting are: senators Leila De Lima and Risa Hontiveros, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, former senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero, former lawmaker Teddy Baguilat, and lawyers Chel Diokno, Luke Espiritu, Alex Lacson, and Sonny Matula.
“We are supporting them for their track record in engaging with patriotic forces on select issues and the broader fight of the people,” Ocampo, also a three-term lawmaker of Bayan Muna, said in Filipino.
Apart from the 10 senatorial candidates, Makabayan is also supporting the senatorial bid of former Bayan Muna lawmaker Neri Colmenares and labor leader Elmer Labog.
Makabayan has also earlier expressed support for Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who are running for president and vice president, respectively.
Read: Progressives back Leni, Kiko in 2022 polls
Among the issues they hope to engage them are on amending the controversial Anti Terror Law of 2020 and stopping red-tagging. (RVO) 
