Sotto confirms 9 NPC senatorial bets for 2019 polls

The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) has now drafted at least nine senatorial bets for 2019, Senate  President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said on  Monday.

“As of now, nine,” Sotto, senior council leader of the party, told reporters in an interview at the Senate.

“Baka we might limit it to 10 pero kung talagang kailangan baka mapilitan kami sa 12 (We might limit it to 10, but if it is required we may be forced to draft 12),” he added.

Sotto refused to identify the nine candidates, except saying that three or four of the nine were original NPC members while the party would adopt the rest.

He said the party secretary-general would announce the official NPC candidates after the meeting of key party leaders on Thursday.

But just last week, Sotto confirmed that former Senator Lito Lapid would seek a Senate seat under the NPC slate.

READ: Lapid swears in for NPC; to run for Senate seat

The Senate leader has also identified earlier some of the possible NPC senatorial bets, including Senators Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Nancy Binay, Sonny Angara, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, JV Ejercito, and Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano.

Sotto, in an interview last August, also mentioned the names of  Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go, former Senators Jinggoy Estrada, and former Police chief Ronaldo “Bato” Dela Rosa. /ee

READ: NPC bares list of possible Senate bets for 2019