Lacson: Unification talks doomed from the start

The unification attempts among presidential candidates would have succeeded by now if it started with the "right intentions" and "without hidden agenda," presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson said Monday.

"In hindsight, the unification talks would have been concluded by now had it started with the right intentions and without the hidden agenda of the one who initiated it," Lacson said in a tweet, apparently referring to Vice President Leni Robredo who tried to pursue a unified opposition prior to the filing of the certificate of candidacies last year.

In hindsight, the unification talks would have been concluded by now had it started with the right intentions and without the hidden agenda of the one who initiated it. I came sincere and prepared; the other party was not. Thus, it was doomed from the start.

— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) April 18, 2022
 

"I came sincere and prepared; the other party was not. Thus, it was doomed from the start," he added.

The presidential candidate made the remark after drawing criticisms following the Easter Sunday's press conference with other presidential candidates Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Norberto Gonzales, and vice presidential candidates Dr. Willie Ong and Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

During the press conference, the presidential bets vowed that they will not withdraw from the race.

This, they said, was prompted by alleged attempts by Robredo's camp to ask them to drop from the race to beat the frontrunner,  Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Before the formal filing of COCs in October, Lacson had offered Robredo a “formula” that would unify his ticket with the opposition, but he disclosed that she was not “sold to the idea.”

Robredo then disclosed that Lacson’s proposal was for all of them to file COCs for president and whoever has the highest number in the surveys will be their presidential bet and all the rest will withdraw.—LDF, GMA News