Lacson-Sotto tandem says winning still possible with support of ‘silent majority’

PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, Sr. and his running mate, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, remain confident of a possible win on May 9, banking on what they called the “silent majority” who have expressed support.

“Every time we go to a place… no matter how distant from the capital, whether in a city or a far-flung rural town… there would be people who would come to us and whisper — there’s a lot of them — ‘Senator, Mr. Senate President, we are just here. We are your silent supporters’,” Mr. Lacson said in Filipino at a town hall forum in Malabon City on Thursday.

He said there may be a major upset on election day as many people have personally pledged their support to their candidacy.

“We have so many silent supporters. They told us, they (the public) might be surprised that on May 9, we will be there. When we go to the polling booth, they would be really surprised that what will come out of our ballots (are votes for) Lacson-Sotto,” the presidential candidate said.

The latest opinion poll survey conducted by the OCTA Research group from April 2 to 6 showed Mr. Lacson remained in fifth place among 10 candidates. Mr. Sotto, on the other hand, has been at number two among vice presidential bets.

The tandem had repeatedly shrugged off poll survey results, saying they were “unbothered” because the numbers they felt on the ground indicated differently.

The two have mainly been campaigning through sectoral dialogues and town hall meetings.

“It is always fulfilling to hear directly from our people and be listened to,” Mr. Lacson said.

He explained that dialogues ensure that the people’s woes are not only heard but also understood. “We always engage the people, the crowd, our audience in a conversation because that’s how we learn from them and they learn from us.”

— Alyssa Nicole O. Tan