LP wants Lacson in senatorial slate – source

MANILA, Philippines - Former presidential assistant for rehabilitation and recovery Panfilo Lacson is being invited to be part of the Liberal Party (LP)’s senatorial slate with the blessings of President Aquino.

LP standard bearer Manuel Roxas II went to Lacson’s office on Tuesday, the same day Aquino spoke with resigned Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino, to ask him to be part of the LP ticket, according  to a source.

Tolentino has withdrawn his bid to be part of the LP  slate after a lewd show controversy.

This leaves Lacson, former presidential assistant for food security and agricultural modernization Francis Pangilinan, former energy secretary Jericho Petilla, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Technical Education Skills Development Authority director general Joel Villanueva who would likely land in the party’s final list of senatorial candidates.

Villanueva said  the LP had invited him to attend a “big event” today.

Aquino pitched for Villanueva during a TESDA event at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City on Tuesday.

Villanueva said it would be awkward to run with De Lima, who filed charges against him for alleged involvement in the Priority Development Assistance Fund, but that he has a career in public service to pursue.

“The campaign is the campaign, politics is politics, work is work,” he said.

Lacson also had a falling out with De Lima over  PDAF and when he went into hiding after a warrant of arrest was issued against him during the Arroyo administration for alleged involvement in the murders of publicist Salvador “Bubby” Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito in November 2000.

He surfaced in 2011 after the Court of Appeals voided the arrest warrant. 

Lacson has also been a staunch critic of Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad, an LP stalwart and member of the Balay Group, whose members were reported to be against his becoming part of the administration slate.

During the LP National Executive Council meeting   at the residence of Roxas in Cubao, Quezon City on Sept. 30, four party stalwarts – reelectionists?Senate President Franklin Drilon, Sens. Ralph Recto and Teofisto Guingona III and Pangilinan – had been endorsed to be part of the administration’s senatorial slate.

Others reported to be in the senatorial list, according to several sources, are Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, former lawmaker Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar and Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority chief operating officer Mark Lapid.