The United Opposition party was created by MakatiMayorJejomar Binay in June 2005 to unite all politicians who wished to impeach Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after the revelation of her election cheating scandal. Arroyo stated via her presidential spokesperson that the formation of the party will not be interrupted, as it was a right of the opposition itself.[1] The year of the formation also the year where the Supreme Court dismissed the election protest filed by Fernando Poe Jr.'s wife Susan Roces about the cheating scandal.[2]
The first meeting of UNO started in July 2005, with Binay as its leader, former Poe's campaign spokesman and House Minority LeaderChiz Escudero as its secretary general. Escudero stated that the opposition will be stronger.[2] Binay and UNO also blasted Arroyo in August 2005 of confusing the people about the cheating scandal.[3]
The UNO started scouting candidates for the Senate as early as October 2006 to claim a large share of the Senate seats. [4][5] In January 2007, UNO started short-listing its nominees after a large number of interested personalities wanted to join the opposition.[6]
The UNO changed its name on February 12, 2007, at the Club Filipino in San Juan, Metro Manila to "Grand and Broad Coalition" (GBC).[7] On February 15, 2007, the group changed its name again to Genuine Opposition (GO) after a meeting with Senate President Manny Villar in his office in Las Piñas. GO became the opposition coalition with eight parties under its wing, including its predecessor, UNO. Though Senate President Manny Villar and Senate Majority Leader Francis Pangilinan are running under the Opposition, they remain independent candidates as in the 2001 election. On February 28, 2007, Genuine Opposition dropped Francis Pangilinan as its adopted candidate.[8][9]
