PARTIDO Reporma chairman and standard-bearer Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said he could have supported Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo under a united opposition ticket had she been more forthright with him and the public about her desire to seek the presidency as well.
Lacson made the statement in a radio interview aired on Wednesday to settle once and for all debates over previous unification talks that Robredo initiated with him and his running mate, Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto III.
According to Lacson, he and Sotto already had an agreement with their supporters before Robredo—and later Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon—reached out to them to propose a so-called unification concept, which turned out to be a negotiation for her own presidential bid.
Before Robredo announced her decision to throw her hat into a then-less crowded presidential race, Lacson and Sotto were the first to declare their intentions to seek the top two highest government positions in the 2022 national elections as a tandem.
“‘Nung nag-usap kaming dalawa, nandiyan, nakaharap si Senate President, alam mo, prinesent niya (Robredo) sa akin ‘yung konsepto na mag-unify. Sabi ko, why not? So, talagang sumagi sa isip ko na talagang kung magkakaisa, mas may puwersa,” Lacson said over the program ‘Ikaw ang On the Spot: The Presidential Candidates Interview’ hosted by Tony Velasquez and Danny Buenafe.
(When we had our conversation with the Senate President, you know, she presented her concept to unify. I said, why not? So, it really crossed my mind that if we were united, our joint forces would be stronger.)
At that point, the thought of withdrawing his candidacy was out of the question for Lacson since he and Sotto had already announced their respective electoral bids. He said if ever Robredo made up her mind to join the presidential race, they would instead adopt Sotto as a ‘common candidate.’
Lacson initially wanted to retire from politics at the end of his second term in the Senate, but was persuaded by Sotto—his longtime colleague and partner in public service—to try and make another run for the presidency, knowing that he is the most qualified to implement their shared advocacies.
Under his unification proposal, Lacson said he would be able to honor his commitment to the people who were rallying behind him while at the same keeping the door open for Robredo in case she decided to run, but it was rejected outright by the vice president herself.
“Ang sagot niya sa akin ‘hindi pwede…’ So doon sumagi sa isipan ko hindi unification ang usapan. Unification sa ilalim ng isang kandidato na naghahangad at ‘yung kandidatong ‘yon siya ‘yon. ‘Yon, doon ako medyo nadismaya,” Lacson revealed.
(The answer she gave me was ‘it was not possible…’ So that was when I realized unification was never the goal of our discussion. It was unification under a candidate that had similar aspirations [to lead] and that candidate was her. That made me a bit disappointed.)
While he respected her right to seek the highest public office as any other politician, Lacson said it is not fair that her supporters keep trolling him on social media and pinning the blame on him alone as the reason why their so-called unification talks did not prosper.
“Ang ginawa niyang dahilan ‘yung sarili niyang experience na ‘nung nag-file daw siya ng certificate of candidacy [at] umatras siya, may mga bumoto pa rin daw sa kanya, nasayang ‘yung boto. Pero noong nagpaliwanag siya, sabi niya siya raw kasi kapag nag-file na, hinding-hindi na siya aatras,” Lacson noted.
(What she cited as reason [for rejecting the proposal] was her own experience when she filed her certificate of candidacy and withdrew it, yet people still voted for her, wasting their votes. But when she was explaining, she said once she filed [her candidacy], she would never withdraw.)
“Sabi ko parang inconsistent ‘yung aming napag-usapan [sa] sinasabi niya sa publiko. I’m sorry, but I will have to tell the people since tinanong niyo sa akin dahil maraming lumalabas sa mga troll, ano, na ako ‘yung sumisira sa unification—no,” he added.
(I found what she was telling us a bit inconsistent to what she was telling the public. I’m sorry but I will have to tell the people since you asked me because, according to the trolls, I was the one who ruined our possible unification—no.)
“Gusto ko nga matuloy pero sa kongkretong pamamaraan, hindi sa usapang konsepto, hindi sa usapang walang kahihinatnan… Kasi kung pumayag siya sana sa ganoong idea, siguro meron talagang pagkakataon na mag-unify ‘yung tinatawag nating hindi pro-administration na mga kandidato. But I’m sorry to tell this, ‘yun ang nagtapos,” Lacson said further.
(I wanted it to push through but in a more concrete way, not just a concept, or through pointless discussions… Because if she agreed to that idea, perhaps there really was a chance for all candidates who are not considered as pro-administration to unify. But I’m sorry to tell this, that is what ended it.)
Lacson then disclosed that by the time Robredo and Drilon warmed up to his proposal during their second meeting, it was already too late. He said he only agreed to have that discussion because he thought they had other ideas in mind.
Robredo and Drilon are party mates under the Liberal Party. Sotto, meanwhile, belongs to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), which he also chairs. Partido Reporma has forged an alliance with NPC to push for the Lacson-Sotto tandem.
Both Lacson and Sotto are backed by the National Unity Party chaired by former Interior Secretary and veteran political strategist Ronaldo Puno, who serves as their campaign manager. Partido Reporma is also supporting the senatorial bids of public health advocate Dr. Minguita Padilla, former national police chief Guillermo Eleazar, and former Makati congressman Monsour del Rosario.
Image credits: Senate PRIB