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Sunday, December 22, 2024

Lacson  dropped from Poe slate

Former Senator Panfilo  Lacson on Tuesday  said  he would support the presidential bid of Manuel Roxas II after Senator Grace Poe dropped him from her senatorial slate  in favor of  actor Edu Manzano.

Interviewed over ABS-CBN News Channel’s “Headstart,’’ Lacson disclosed he no longer belonged  to the senatorial ticket of the tandem of Poe and her running mate Senator Francis Escudero.

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The  Poe-and Escudero  tandem   has scheduled a Thursday announcement on  their 12 senatorial candidates.

Lacson, who filed his candidacy as an independent candidate, recalled that Poe called him up last Friday and asked if it was OK that he be removed as a guest candidate  from her senatorial ticket to give way to another candidate.

“And I said yes, no problem with me. In the first place, being invited to be a guest candidate is a privilege and it can be withdrawn anytime,” he said.

After they talked last Friday, Lacson said he thought  he was no longer part    of Poe’s senatorial line-up.

“It is fine with me. I said fine with me. It’s of course a privilege to be a guest candidate of any coalition,” said Lacson who also served as rehabilitation czar under the Aquino administration.

Lacson reiterated that   Poe called him up last Friday, and   requested that I be substituted by Edu Manzano.   

Sought for comment, Poe said that  at that time, they were still finalizing the slate. They took into account the fact  that the former senator (Lacson)  was already endorsed by two major parties  the administration Liberal Party and the United Nationalist Alliance.

“Senator Ping is a strong and worthy candidate and we were considering also those that had no party or less resources who would welcome our support In fact, Toots Ople is also one of those we spoke with,” Poe said in a separate text message, referring to senatorial bet Susan Ople.

When questioned if Lacson and Ople would no longer be part of her slate, Poe said she would just make the announcement soon.  

In vouching for Roxas, Lacson said he  saw him as the “last person standing” in next year’s presidential race because he has no issue of corruption, disqualificafion or health.

“We don’t know what awaits Senator Poe because he has a disqualification case or DQ case. Vice-President (Jejomar) Binay has many issues. Of course, Senator Miriam (Santiago) – I really don’t know. I can only wish her good luck and good health.”

Lacson said he is prepared    to campaign for Roxas because he believed in his integrity and advocacy.   

“What’s important to me is shared advocacy. for me, it is important that I believe in th candidate.    I will campaign with him, I will campaign for him not because I’m being told to campaign for him, but because I believe in him,” stressed Lacson.

He did not join the Liberal Party (LP) because many people find the party too “exclusive” by claiming the “tuwid na daan” as their own.

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