Philippines Senate Race Heats Up as Duterte Rival Formalizes Run

18,000 posts up for election in May, including 12 Senate seats
Duterte’s top aide among contenders for Senate in 2019 race

Manuel "Mar" Roxas.
Photographer: Veejay Villafranca

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By Ditas B Lopez and Andreo Calonzo

October 16, 2018 at 1:58 AM UTC

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Mar Roxas, a former legislator who lost to Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 presidential elections, is seeking a Senate seat in next year’s midterm elections.

“This decision has been difficult because I’ve already gone out of the political arena,” said Roxas in a live-streamed speech after formalizing his candidacy. The former trade secretary said he will help slow inflation that’s quickened to a nine-year high and push for the repeal of automatic increases in oil tax approved by President Duterte last year.