Lacson-Sotto tandem: not pro-administration, not opposition
July 26, 2021 02:13 PM
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III says his tandem with Senator Panfilo Lacson for the 2022 elections is neither pro-administration nor opposition.
“Our question is where is the Philippines headed? Are there programs we can push to, as they say, put the country back on track?”
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson are the first duo to officially confirm running for vice president and president, respectively, for next year's elections.
“Our question is where is the Philippines headed? Are there programs we can push to, as they say, put the country back on track?” Sotto said, regarding the tandem's plans for the country.
While the formal declaration of the pair's presidential bid will happen in August, Sotto verified that he and Lacson have made up their minds.
“Senator Lacson and I have decided, yes, [we will run], but we’re planning the official launching to be on Aug. 4,” he said.
Sotto, however, has yet to confirm the duo's coalition with political parties besides Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)—which Sotto chairs, Partido Reporma, and Aksyon Demokratiko.
“We are the alternative. We are not pro-administration; we are not opposition,” the Senate chief clarified, regarding him and his pair's political ties.
"We are neutral"
Sotto said that he and his running mate, Lacson, chose to take the neutral ground between parties which are pro-administration and opposition.
“We are neutral because NPC is in alliance with the President. We are not in alliance with PDP-Laban (Partido Demoktratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan) or any other political party."
Sotto added, “At the moment, we are not thinking of that because if we did, we would have to wait to know who else is running. For us, it’s simple: We know the country’s problems from the pandemic to corruption … all of it. When it comes to solutions, we have seen them in the Senate."
According to the Senate chief, his decision to run for vice president was, “though it may sound corny to others—love of country.”
Lacson-Sotto's senatorial slate
Sotto said that Leyte Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez will be joining the Lacson-Sotto's senatorial lineup for 2022.
According to the Senate chief, the following are also joining the initial senatorial slate:
1. JV Ejercito
2. Chiz Escudero
3. Win Gatchalian
4. Dick Gordon
5. Gringo Honasan
6. Goyo Larrazabal
7. Loren Legarda
8. Lucy Torres-Gomez
9. Joel Villanueva
10. Migz Zubiri
