SENATORIAL aspirant Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday slammed the ruling Liberal Party for what he described as its “veiled threats” to the guest candidates it had adopted.
“No need for veiled threats,” said Lacson who served as a senator for 12 years and was head of the Philippine National Police during the presidency of Joseph Estrada.
LP spokesman Marikina City Rep. Romero Quimbo on Tuesday said the senatorial bets of the administration coalition could be adopted by other political groups, but could share the campaign stage only with Senator Manuel Roxas II and his running mate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo.
Quimbo was quoted in some reports as saying the “Roxas-Robredo only” clause was made clear to the LP’s 12 senatorial bets, including guest candidate Lacson.
Lacson said he had discussed with Roxas and Senator Grace Poe what he had committed to do and not to do when he agreed to be adopted by them.
“I value my word as I value my integrity and honor. I need not be told and, worse, in the manner of a veiled threat,what people want to project,” he said.
On Monday, Lacson filed his certificate of candidacy before the Commission on Elections as an independent candidate.
However, he agreed to be adopted as a senatorial bet by the three leading presidential candidates.
Lacson said he had discussed twice his adoption with Roxas and Poe.
“On both counts, I was very transparent to each of them about my talks with the other party. I know exactly what I have committed to do and not to do when I agreed to be adopted by them,” he said.
“I think it is the height of arrogance to decline an invitation to be a guest candidate of any legitimate and serious presidential candidate, not to mention that I consider it a huge privilege to be offered such.”
Lacson also said this was why he did not decline Vice President Jejomar Binay’s invitation to be a guest candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance.