Lacson says ex-QC Mayor Simon approached him to withdraw from race
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 6:24 p.m.) — Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, who is running for president, said Monday that former Quezon City Mayor Brigido "Jun" Simon Jr. approached him to withdraw from the race for ticket that would include Vice President Leni Robredo and Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Lacson's running mate.
Earlier Monday, lawyer Barry Gutierrez, Robredo's spokesperson, said that the campaign has not approached Lacson for changes in their slate. He stressed that the campaign is backing Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, Robredo's running mate.
Lacson said Simon, who served as QC mayor from 1986 to 1992, made the request when he approached him in Pampanga during a campaign activity last month.
"He told me they can convince Senator Pangilinan to withdraw to give way to the tandem of Vice President Robredo and my running mate, Senate President Tito Sotto," he said in an emailed statement Monday.
"But I cut him off right there and told him, 'I am not withdrawing. May usapang lalaki kami ni SP Sotto na magkasama kami all the way'," he added.
Gutierrez, in a message to reporters, said Simon is not authorized to speak for the Robredo-Pangilinan campaign. "If he indeed talked to Senator Lacson, then that is his personal initiative."
In a CNN Philippines interview earlier Monday, Gutierrez said that he didn't know who supposedly approached Lacson. "If somebody did, it's certainly not from the campaign of VP Leni," he also said.
"We have been very, very clear on our position, particularly on the vice presdent, that her running mate of choice, the only vice president she is campaigning for and who has no intention of withdrawing is Senator Kiko Pangilinan," he also said.
'Unification' talks
Lacson said he explained to Simon that Robredo made two attempts in unification, but claimed this was "obviously only for herself."
After that, Simon left but he kept asking Lacson for an appointment which the presidential aspirant ignored.
Last month, Lacson— now an independent candidate— quit his political party Partido Reporma after receiving word that its slate in Davao Del Norte will be endorsing another candidate, who was later announced to be Robredo.
This means he has to now rely on his own resources and machinery for his campaigns.
"Even if I am left running on one leg, I will finish the race. Even if I am crippled, I will crawl to finish the race," Lacson said Monday.
Private pollster Pulse Asia's March pre-poll survey showed that voter preference for Lacson stood at two percent, which remained unchanged compared to how he fared in the firm's survey a month before.
The latest survey considered the insights of 2,400 respondents of voting age.
In a briefing on Monday, Lacson said he "can't believe that only two percent" of the selected respondents would vote for him.
He added that they are "very motivated" and "satisified" by the responses of people "on the ground" during their campaigns.
Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes earlier said that pre-election surveys do not predict the outcomes of the polls as they are only snapshots of voting preferences during the time respondents are interviewed, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. — Angelica Y. Yang
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