Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said Tuesday he would run for senator in the 2022 elections, citing the need to continue his advocacy for judicial reform and uplifting Filipinos from the pandemic.
It will be Diokno's second time to run for senator. His first attempt was in 2019 under the Otso Diretso opposition coalition but not one of its eight senatorial candidates won.
"Yes, I have decided that I will be running for the Senate," Diokno said in an interview with One News' "The Chiefs".
"I've had two years to think about it and to plan how to wage a better campaign. During this time, a lot has changed," Diokno said as he reflected on his first attempt at the Senate.
"The political landscape has changed, we have seen how important it is to have a good message and to really take advantage of the social media platforms that are out there," he added.
Although he ran under the Liberal Party-led slate in 2019, Diokno said he is an independent candidate for now and he has no plans of joining any political party.
"Of course, I have publicly stated and I still support fully the initiative of 1Sambayan to come up with a unity slate. And I do hope that that will happen," he said.
"Tingin ko lalaki talaga ang tsansa ng oposisyon kapag nagsama-sama lahat and we can all unite behind a common slate," he added.
Like in 2019, Diokno said he plans to carry his advocacy for a better judicial system in his 2022 run. He said he would also fight for better health services for Filipinos and assistance for micro, small, and medium enterprises, which he said are "immediate matters that must be addressed by the government."
Diokno is the chairman of the Free Legal Assistance Group and the founding dean of the De La Salle University College of Law.
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