Lacson-Sotto taking ‘alternative’ posturing

Sotto said they’ll endorse the bids of ICT Secretary Gringo Honasan and incumbent Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Richard Gordon and Joel Villanueva

Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III — running for president and vice president, respectively, next year — will also field senatorial

candidates boasting of name recall.

Sotto said over the radio that their tandem is eyeing to carry at least eight candidates, including returning senators, local government officials and those from the House of Representatives.

“Of course, my party-mates will automatically fall under my ticket,” the senator said, referring to Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda, Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian and former senator JV Ejercito.

All are veteran politicians belonging to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) headed by Sotto.

An environmental advocate, Legarda served three terms in the Senate and was credited for helping pass the Clean Air Act of 1999, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and the Clean Water Act of 200.

Escudero, meanwhile, became a senator from 2007 to 2019 prior to his stint as a provincial leader.

Sotto said they will endorse the bids of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gringo Honasan and incumbent Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Richard Gordon and Joel Villanueva.

Lacson and Sotto confirmed they will be running for the country’s highest posts on Tuesday evening. However, the official launch of their bid will be on 4 August.

It is still unclear where they will run under, but the senator said he will “definitely” be nominated as a vice presidential candidate by his group.

The NPC is also aiming to join forces with Aksyon Partylist and the revived Reporma Party headed by former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa.

Lacson and Sotto decided to formalize their bids after consultative meetings with local leaders in Luzon and various groups.

While they will go against the administration, the Senate President denied that they are with the “opposition” and instead described their slate as “alternative” leaders for the Filipino people.

Sotto said the NPC will remain neutral and in alliance with the Duterte administration.

“We are the alternative. We are not pro-administration; we are not opposition. We are neutral because NPC is in alliance with the President,” he said.

“We are not in alliance with Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or any other political party. The NPC is in alliance with the President,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go clarified that the administration PDP-Laban party is yet to decide on its final lineup elections lineup.

Go said the names that Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone bared to media were only an initial listing and that the discussions for the official candidates are still ongoing.

“In my opinion, President Duterte will choose candidates who are aligned with his legislative agenda to ensure the continuity of his projects and the change ignited by the President,” he said.