Sotto aks NPC members backing other VP bets: ‘Why don't you join their party?’

LAPU-LAPU CITY, CEBU - Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Sunday advised Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) members who are supporting other vice-presidential candidates to join the party of their endorsed bet.

Sotto, who chairs the NPC, made the remark after reports that NPC members, among them Tarlac Governor Susan Yap, said she would endorse the UniTeam or the slate of presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Yap clarified that her endorsement was a personal decision and not the decision of the party.

"Ang report sa akin, ang sinasabi (The reports that I received is), it is only the local leader Susan Yap, who said that she is endorsing. She is not the party," Sotto told reporters in an interview.

"Well, I'm very confident that the great, big majority of my party mates are endorsing me and will endorse me as vice president. Kasi if not, well why don't you join the other party? If you are going against your chairman, eh 'di doon ka na lang sa partido ng gusto mong i-endorse 'di ba. Isn't that the right thing to do?" Sotto went on.

According to Sotto, the NPC leadership, which is composed of its council of leaders, had decided to support him but they have not decided yet on their presidential candidate.

He said the presidential endorsement of the party remains a "free zone at the moment."

"The party is supporting and endorsing the chairman who is running for vice president and we have not yet decided on who our presidential candidate would be," he said.

"At the moment parang pwede nating sabihing (we can say that it is still a) free zone because there are members of NPC who are supporting Senator Lacson, who are supporting former Sen. Marcos, Vice President Leni, there are some members also who want to support Manny Pacquiao, even Isko Moreno. So we couldn't arrive at a consensus, a general consensus kahit majority consensus. we couldn't arrive at a majority consensus," he explained.

The party leaders arrived at this decision in a recent meeting at the Diamond Hotel in Manila where 80 percent of their incumbent officials, mostly congressmen, were present.

Sotto is running alongside Senator Panfilo Lacson for the May 9, 2022 national and local polls. — DVM, GMA News