Lacson, Sotto formally launch tandem for 2022 elections
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday officially launched their bid for the country's two highest posts.
Lacson will be seeking the presidency — a second attempt after a failed 2004 bid — while Sotto will be running for vice president.
A first spurred by the pandemic, the event was pretaped in front of a small live audience and other viewers who joined through videoconference. A 30-minute cut of the event was streamed on the candidates' social media pages.
Emphasized by both senators were the more than 80 years of public service between them.
"We have the proven competence, integrity, and courage to lead the country so we can rise from the rut we are in," Lacson said in his speech delivered in Filipino.
He also took a swipe at President Rodrigo Duterte, referencing the chief executive's final SONA where he admitted that he was wrong to think that governing a country would be as easy as governing Davao City.
Duterte, mayor of Davao City for 22 years, was referring specifically to fighting illegal drugs.
"The country is drowning in debt, many lost their jobs because of business closures, the number of poor Filipinos has increased and so has the sector of people who have gone hungry," Lacson said.
"[C]orruption is rampant, illegal drugs are still prevalent, some parts of our territory in the West Philippines Sea are gradually disappearing."
While they are campaigning as alternative candidates to the administration, Sotto and Lacson are part of a Senate majority that has generally legislated according to the president's agenda.
Lacson was the principal sponsor of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, a measure that petitioners before the Supreme Court say has potential for abuse and could be used to silence legitimate dissent and criticism.
Sotto has also defended on several occasions Duterte's flagship campaign against illegal drugs despite its high death toll and criticism that it is actually a campaign against the poor. Lacson, a former police chief, criticized the "drug war" as a "failure" only this year — over five years into its implementation.
Lacson, who previously identified as an independent politician, took over as Partido Reporma chairman in July. Reporma and the Nationalist People’s Coalition, which is chaired by Sotto, are expected to forge an alliance for next year’s polls.
'Roadmap' still in the works
Lacson said he and Sotto "are in the process of drawing up a roadmap or a master plan that will serve as our platform of government that we intend to present to our people."
In the meantime, here are the priorities outlined in his speech:
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The pandemic response and recovery
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Stricter management of public funds
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Allowing local governments bigger roles, more responsibility, more autonomy as well as greater accountability
"We are nearing the crossroads of our nation’s modern history — and we cannot afford to choose the wrong direction in charting the course of our nation in the next six years," Lacson stressed.
Sotto calls for a return to 'trust, morality'
Sotto, meanwhile, vowed that their campaign would be centered on trust.
Like Lacson, he lamented the sorry state of the economy and the pandemic response. However, he said the country's "more serious problem is the loss of hope."
"We need a country that values morality," he stressed.
Sotto also placed a premium on unity as a path to victory.
He and Lacson recently met with Vice President Leni Robredo, who may yet run as the opposition candidate for 2022, in an attempt to consolidate the opposition but talks fell through.
Other senators eyeing bids for higher office
In the coming months, Sotto may find himself campaigning against President Duterte, who has declared he is running for vice president. Duterte has yet to decide on who his running mate will be but among the choices are Sen. Christopher Go, his long-time aide.
Duterte's party, the administration PDP-Laban, is currently embroiled in a feud with a faction led by Sen. Manny Pacquiao over its standard-bearers for 2022.
The president's daughter, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, is also expected to seek the presidency after topping national surveys. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has said that he would be willing to run as the younger Duterte's vice president.
Go said he could also run for vice president if Mayor Duterte pursues the presidency.
Sen. Richard Gordon, too, has said that he is considering mounting a presidential bid.
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