By Ali G. Macabalang

INITIAL news reports today showed six personalities becoming common senatorial bets of the Lacon-Sotto, Robredo-Pangilinan, and Pacquiao tickets. The Isko-Ong tandem has yet to announce its senatorial slate.
The six personalities are Antique Rep. and former Senator Loren Legarda, Senators Joel Villanueva, Juan Miguel “Migz: Zubiri and Richard Gordon, former Senator and Sorsogon Gov. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, and former Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay.
Meanwhile, a random survey involving more than 120 farmers and journalists for at least 10 years in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao showed former Agriculture and MinDA Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol as their “No. 1 choice.”
The following are the slates of the three Presidential aspirants, viz:
Former Agriculture and MinDA Secretary Manny Piñol
Antique Rep. Loren Legarda
Senator Joel Villanueva
Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri
Former Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay
Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon
Sorsogon Governor Francis “Chiz” Escudero
Former Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito
Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
Dr. Minguita Padilla
Former Makati Rep. Monsour del Rosario
Information and Communications Secretary Greg Honasan
Powee Capino; and
One “surprise candidate.”

The Pacquiao-Atienza tandem released 10-member senatorial slate:
*Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri
*Senator Joel Villanueva
*Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero
*Antique Rep. Loren Legarda
*Former Vice President Jejomar Binay
*Senator Richard Gordon
Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo
Former Samar Governor Lutgardo Barbo
Labor leader Elmer Labog; and
Former Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares
Robredo-Pangilinan ticket’s senatorial slate includes:
**Senator Richard Gordon
**Senator Joel Villanueva
**Senator Miguel Zubiri
**Former Vice President Jejomar Binay
**Sorsogon Governor / Former Senator Chiz Escudero
Senator Risa Hontiveros
Senator Leila de Lima
Former Representative Teddy Baguilat
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, and
Alex Lacson ng Kapatiran.