'Out of the question,' Lacson says of common candidate after joint briefing with Moreno, Gonzales
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 1:48 p.m.) — Sen. Panfilo Lacson, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso and former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales are not withdrawing from the presidential race, not even for each other.
The three held a joint press conference at the Peninsula Manila in Makati City on Sunday to stress that they will finish the campaign despite supposed attempts to have them withdraw, supposedly in favor of survey second-placer Vice President Leni Robredo.
"That is out of the question. That is why we're here," Lacson said when asked if those at the press conference — Sen. Manny Pacquiao was named as a signatory in their joint statement — would be willing to join forces and support a common candidate among them.
Earlier in the press conference, Moreno read out a statement saying they would not be withdrawing and that they would work together against attempts to "derail the true will of the people."
According to the joint statement, this was being done "through unsavory moves [and] by restricting the people's freedom to choose."
Lacson said that they held the press conference to remind the public that there are other options aside from Robredo and survey frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
He also said that people who don't want to support Marcos and those who don't want to support Robredo can choose from among the other candidates at the press conference.
"Hinding-hindi kami magbibitiw sa kampanya. Ang bawat isa sa amin ay magpapatuloy sa aming kandidatura upang maging mga karapat-dapat na pagpilian ng ating sambayanang Pilipino," their joint statement read.
(We will never give up the campaign. Each of us will continue with our candidacies to become worthy choices for the Filipino people.)
Lacson's running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Dr. Willie Ong, Moreno's vice-presidential candidate, were also at the press conference to witness the signing of the joint statement.
Lacson had initially been open to talks towards a united slate and had proposed having candidates commit to withdrawing to support bets with higher survey numbers. The talks, however, fell through.
"The problem was it didn't strike me that way... And I had concrete unification proposals were rejected outright and didn’t go through," Lacson said of the talks, which he described as meant for "unification" behind Robredo.
Lacson says urged to withdraw
Lacson said last week that he had been approached by former Quezon City Mayor Brigido "Jun" Simon Jr. at a campaign event in Pampanga in March with a proposal for him to withdraw in favor of a ticket featuring Robredo and Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, his running mate.
"[Simon] 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.
"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.
Lawyer Barry Gutierrez, Robredo's spokesperson, said in response that 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 last 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. — Jonathan de Santos
- Latest
- Trending
