Lawyer Camilo Sabio, former head of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, announced his intention to run for president in 2016 under the Lakas-Christn Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD).
“I will seek the official nomination of Lakas-CMD,” Sabio announced during a news conference held at his residence in Biak-na-Bato in Quezon City.
announces he will run for President in 2016. MANNY PALMERO
Sabio said that he believes that the Lakas-CMD, who is chaired by detained senator Ramon “Bong’ Revilla and is under the stewardship of Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez as party president, remains a strong force in the coming polls.
“I believe the Lakas-CMD has retained its strength, and remains a force to reckon with,” said Sabio, a founding member of the Christian Social Movement – the predecessor of the Lakas-CMD.
The 78-year old Sabio said he intends to run for president in the next elections to provide Filipinos an “alternative” as he has been known to have a sterling record of dedicated service “of helping the poor, the oppressed and the marginalized.”
Sabio added that he is confident that he would have a fighting chance against other presidential candidates in 2016, adding that the “campaign that is anchored simply on the life he has led and the battles that he has fought” weas more than enough to catapult him to the presidency.
“The task at hand now is simply to urge Filipinos to make their choice for a middle-class, highly qualified leader with values for family, a just community and with earnest aspirations for a greater Philippines that takes care of its people,” he said.
Sabio ran for vice president as running mate of former Philippine Charity Sweeptakes Office chief Manuel Morato under the Partido Bansang Marangal (National Dignity Party) in 1998 elections.
He lost to former president and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who then won as the vice president.
Sabio served all three branches of Government under different administrations: the PCGG, where he succeeded in returning to the National Treasury a total P28.34 billion pesos intended for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program and for human rights victims during Martial Law; the National Anti-Poverty Commission as lead convenor during the previous administration and as Presidential Adviser for Constitutional Reform.