No call from Lacson-Sotto tandem for Robredo to withdraw, Tito clarifies

CEBU CITY, Cebu — The Lacson and Sotto tandem did not join Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on his call for Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw from Eleksyon 2022’s presidential race.

This was clarified Monday by Senate President Vicente Sotto III following Easter Sunday’s joint press conference held by Moreno, Senator Panfilo Lacson and former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales where the Manila mayor urged Robredo to drop her presidential bid.

“It’s not true. Senator Lacson never said anything to that effect. As a matter of fact, if they listened closely, Mayor Moreno said, 'eto akin lang ito, wala ito sa kanila, alam mo imbes na kami ang pinagwi-withdraw mo, ikaw ang mag-withdraw'. Sabi ni Moreno, sabi ni Mayor Moreno. Anong kinalaman nina Gonzales at nina Ping doon?” Sotto told reporters in an interview here.

[If they listened closely, Mayor Moreno said, "This is just me, not them, you know instead of having us withdraw, you withdraw." Moreno said that, Mayor Moreno said that. What did that have to do with Gonzales and Ping?]

“Siya yun. Siya lang. Sa parte niya, wala kaming koneksyon dun. Ako definitely kasi witness lang ako doon,” he added.

[That was just him. Just him. On his part; we have no connection to that. Definitely, I was just a witness.]

Asked if he supports Moreno’s call, Sotto said he does not support any call for any Eleksyon 2022 candidate to withdraw.

“Wala akong sinusuportahan na magwithdraw kahit na sino,” he said.

In a social media post, Robredo on Sunday called on her supporters to just focus on campaign efforts.

“Mulas bukas, 20 campaign days nalang natitira. Kailangan ‘wag tayong magpatalo sa emosyon. Huwag nang magbitaw ng masasakit na salita,” she said.

“Focus lang muna tayo sa kampanya—tao sa tao, puso sa puso. May bayan tayong kailangan ipaglaban,” she continued.

[Starting tomorrow (Monday), there will only be 20 campaign days left. Let us not let our emotions get the best of us. Do not resort to hurtful words. Let us just focus on the campaign—person to person, heart to heart. We have a country we need to fight for.]

In a separate statement, Lacson called other candidates to respect one another and respect the electorate's choice.

"With the campaign period for the May 9 elections nearing the homestretch, it is not too late for candidates to show respect: Respect for one another, respect for the election process, and most importantly, respect for our voters," Lacson said.

"Respect for our voters can best be shown by offering them as many choices as possible—which is why my running mate Senate President Sotto and I have made it a point not to ask other candidates to withdraw even as we maintain our stand against negative and baseless personal attacks," he said.

"Having said that, there is a whale of a difference between not making personal and baseless attacks and calling out preemptive maneuvers by some camps to have other bets withdraw—if not officially, then by their 'operators,'" Lacson continued.

"Our country and our people are nearing a critical point in our history. We cannot afford to choose the wrong leader," he concluded.

Sotto further asserted that the statement he signed along with Lacson was to signify their intent to "uphold the sovereignty of the Filipino voters as they choose our new leaders on May 9."

"Let me reiterate that we—along with the other signatories—committed to serve in the government of whoever among us is chosen; to combine our forces against any attempt to subvert the will of the electorate by limiting their choices; and to continue with our respective campaigns to give our voters the most choices possible," Sotto explained.

"That said, it is not automatic that we share the views or statements of other candidates on matters outside the joint statement, much less agree to be bound by such views," he added.

NPC endorsement

Meanwhile, Sotto said the Nationalist People’s Coalition’s (NPC) presidential endorsement will remain a “free zone” until Election Day on May 9.

“Lately, really, the way it is as of today is yung presidential candidate is [a] free zone. Free zone na muna. In other words, well, the term could be wrong ano pero ibig sabihin to each his own parang ganon kasi may mga members kaming committed na e… meron silang mga kanya-kanya at depende sa region at area e,” Sotto, chair of NPC, said.

“As of now, the declaration of our council of leaders is free zone…until May 9,” he added.

Sotto went to Cebu City on Monday to commemorate the 145th birth anniversary of his grandfather, Don Vicente Sotto.

Don Vicente Sotto was the author of Republic Act 53 or the Press Freedom Law. He was also named as the father of Cebuano Journalism, Language and Literature. — RSJ/BM, GMA News