Lacson invites Pacquiao to QC rally and have Sotto as their common VP candidate

Presidential candidate and incumbent senator Panfilo Lacson on Saturday invited fellow presidential candidate Senator Manny Pacquiao and his running mate Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza to join his rally in Quezon City later in the day and have Senate President Vicente Sotto III as their common vice presidential candidate.

“Ako naman willing ako i-share na si Senate president as common candidate. Mag-attend na sila [Pacquiao and Atienza] sa rally mamaya,” Lacson said during the Pandesal Forum in Quezon City.

(I am willing to share the Senate President as common candidate. They [Pacquiao and Atienza] should attend the rally this afternoon.)

“I’m willing na, gusto niyo magkasama pa kaming tatlo sa stage pagmagra-rally eh, pareho namin tinataas ang kamay ni Senate president,” he added.

(I am willing to have, if you want, all three of us to be on stage during rallies to raise the hand of the Senate President.)

Lacson said he is inviting Atienza to formally announce his withdrawal from the vice presidential race at his supporters rally in Quezon City later in the day.

“Iniimbita namin, kung maari doon na niya ipahayag ni Mayor Lito na nagwi-withdraw siya,” Lacson said.

(We are inviting him to announce his withdrawal [from the vice presidential race] if possible during the rally.)

Supporters of Lacson and his running mate Sotto will gather at the Quezon  Memorial Circle in Quezon City on Saturday afternoon.

Pacquiao however thumbed down the proposal of Lacson to endorse Sotto as their common vice presidential candidate.

In a media briefing at his campaign headquarters in Makati City, Pacquiao also rejected Lacson's invitation to join his Quezon City rally on Saturday to endorse Sotto.

"With respect to my Vice-President, malinaw naman siguro 'yung sinabi niya na maggi-give way lang siya kung mag-give way din si Lacson. Pero 'pag hindi naman, tuloy din siya so pangit naman na pupunta tayo doon na may vice-president pa tayo," Pacquiao said.

(With respect to my running mate Atienza, he was clear in saying he will only give way if Lacson does the same. If not, he will continue. So it would be inappropriate for me to go to Lacson's campaign with Atienza still my vice-president.)

"Malabo 'yung pupunta ako kay Sotto sa rally nila para mag-endorse sa kanya. Malabo yun," he added.

"Pangit... Respeto na lang kay Lito Atienza (It is inappropriate. Let us respect Atienza)," Pacquiao said when asked about the possibility his giving in to Lacson's proposal on Sotto.

Pacquiao said however said he is not dismissing the possibility of having a dialogue with Sotto regarding their political plans.

On March 30, during a media briefing in Iloilo City, Pacquiao said Atienza has sounded off that if he quits the vice presidential race, he wants Sotto to take his place.

To recall, Atienza previously said he was seriously considering withdrawing from the vice presidential race, but will do so if Lacson will abandon his presidential bid.

Atienza then endorsed Sotto as his replacement to partner with Pacquiao.

Lacson slammed Atienza for the suggestion. The deputy speaker later on apologized, which the presidential candidate accepted.

Lacson said it is up to the people to decide who they will vote for between him and Pacquiao once they make Sotto as their common vice presidential candidate.

“May kanya-kanya naman kaming platform eh. Bahala na ‘yung tao na mamili sa amin ni Senator Pacquiao. May mga katangian siya na siguro wala sa akin. May mga katangian ako na siguro wala sa kanya,” the senator said.

(We have our own platforms. It is up to voters to choose between me and Senator Pacquiao. He may have qualities that I do not have. Similarly, I may have qualities that he may not have.)

Atienza earlier said he made the remarks on Lacson's withdrawal to address a "national crisis" of having former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, possibly winning the presidency. —With a report from Jamil Santos/KG, GMA News