Robredo, Lacson, Gordon in talks
Alliances may rise to counter the administration bets ahead of the 9 May 2022 national elections and one was seen as possible recently following confirmed talks between Vice President Leni Robredo and two senators said to be with presidential ambitions.
Senators Panfilo Lacson and Richard Gordon, in separate interviews, confirmed to have engaged in talks with Robredo but both begged off from discussing their agenda.
“Yes, we talked. I was with Senate President Vicente Sotto III. At the time, she was with (former) Sen. Bam Aquino,” Lacson said during the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay.
“I will not divulge what we talked about because I have no authority to share our agenda. But we talked,” he added.
Earlier this month, the Lacson-Sotto tandem confirmed to gun for the presidency and vice-presidency in the 2022 May Elections.
They likewise unveiled an initial list of senatorial candidates possibly running under their ticket that included big names like former Vice President Jejomar Binay, former Senator JV Ejercito, Sorsogon Governor Chiz Escudero and House Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda.
Meanwhile, Robredo is being pressed to become the standard-bearer of the Liberal Party (LP). She has yet to announce her plans, though, despite claiming that she is “open to all options”.
Gordon, who also aired his intention to run for the country’s top post earlier, said he is in talks with Robredo for a possible “partnership”.
“I don’t know if I’m allowed by the Vice President, we had a chat last week. But I don’t want to say anything about what we talked about,” he said.
“For transparency’s sake, we talked, but we did not discuss who will run,” he added.
LP president Senator Francis Pangilinan confirmed the meetings and said he helped arrange them as part of their “efforts at exploring unity with other groups and personalities”.
The LP along with 1Sambayan have repeatedly said that a united slate is critical for the opposition to win against the administration’s bets next year.
The opposition party previously said they plan to reach out to Lacson and three other officials — Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen. Joel Villanueva, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno — to build the “broadest unity possible”.
“I helped arrange these meetings in coordination with the OVP (Office of the Vice President) as part of our previously announced efforts at exploring uniting with other groups and personalities for the coming 2022 elections,” Pangilinan said in a message to reporters.
“As VP Leni said several weeks ago, the unity of all those who share a common belief in providing genuine solutions to the country’s problems is key come 2022 if we are to put the country on the right track towards succeeding in reaching the twin goals of defeating Covid and achieving economic recovery. That is all that I am at liberty to say right now,” he added.
Trillanes barks
The recent development did not sit well with former Senator Sonny Trillanes, though.
Trillanes, who earlier said he is willing to withdraw his presidential bid to give way to Robredo, hoped that the information is “not true’ and warned that the Magdalo Group will not back the Vice President and her party should they decide to form an alliance with Lacson.
“VP Leni, I hope this is not true. If it is, I apologize but the Magdalo Group would not join you and LP if you will give way to Sen. Lacson,” he said in a Twitter post.
“May I remind you that Sen. Lacson is among those who rallied for the unjust imprisonment of your party-mate, Sen. De Lima,” he added.
Reporma Party
Lacson, meanwhile, disclosed that he will run for President under the revived Reporma Party.
The Senator said he will be formally installed as the party chairman on Thursday, 29 June, as offered by two of its leaders -- former defense secretary Renato de Villa and former House speaker and incumbent Davao del Norte 1st District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez.
Alvarez, the incumbent party chair, will become party president once Lacson takes over his post.