Senate President Vicente Sotto III (third from left) formally endorsed all seven reelectionist senators and returning senators Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano and Lito Lapid, and former presidential aide Bong Go at the “10 Million Trees Challenge” launching of the Luntian Party-list on Monday, May 6, at the Calamba City Hall in Laguna province. (Photo from the Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
Updated @ 10:55 p.m., May 6, 2019
MANILA, Philippines — The endorsement of Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III will be a “tremendous boost” to any candidate running in the upcoming May 13 polls, reelectionist senators said Monday.
Sotto officially endorsed on Monday all seven reelectionist senators — Sonny Angara, Bam Aquino, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, Grace Poe, and Cynthia Villar.
READ: Sotto endorses all reelectionist senators
Angara said he was “deeply honored and grateful” by the endorsement, noting that the Senate was admired by the public for its independence, transparency, and sincerity under Sotto’s leadership.
He added that Sotto’s endorsement of all reelectionist senators shows how he is living up to his title as “father of the Senate.”
“This leaves no doubt that his endorsement is a tremendous boost to any candidate running in the May 13 midterm elections,” Angara said in a statement.
“His endorsement of all reelectionist senators is proof that he was living up to his title as ‘father of the Senate’ where he has been the source of wisdom and stability,” he added.
Sen. Grace Poe, meanwhile, said Sotto’s endorsement left “humbled and grateful.”
“If there’s one person who I know will never abandon me, it is Senate President Sotto. He is like a father to me and I believe in his leadership,” Poe said in a separate statement.
“The endorsement fires us up to work harder and do more for the Filipinos. We are humbled and grateful,” she added.
Sen. Nancy Binay echoed her colleagues’ statements, saying the Senate President’s support was a recognition of the reelectionists’ hard work in their six years of service in the Senate.
She vowed to continue to serve the public should she be reelected.
“It’s heartening to be recognized by the Senate President and other colleagues for what I have done in the six years I have been in the Senate,” Binay said in a statement quoting her in Filipino
“He and the nation can rely on me to continue my service to the people, if I should be lucky to get back into the Sesnate. I will continue to push for laws that will uplift and improve the lives and welfare of our countrymen,” she added.
In a separate statement, Aquino thanked Sotto for his trust, noting that the Senate President’s support would have a huge impact on his reelection bid.
“Tito Sen’s support is a big thing in getting me back in to the Senate so that I could help more of our countrymen,” Aquino said in Filipinos. “Even before, we could not discount his support for what we worked for in the Senate — like the free college tuition.”
Ejercito was also grateful, pointing out how Sotto welcomed him with open arms to the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) when he decided to leave his party, the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) late last year.
“Of course, I’m thankful and very grateful. This is a big boost, in addition to the endorsement of the El Shaddai. As you know, politics is addition. So any support or endorsement is very much welcome,” Ejercito said.
Pimentel also said Sotto’s support would be a big help for him in getting reelected.
“This is a big help for me,” Pimentel said. “I am thankful to SP [Senate President] Sotto for his support for all reelectionists,” he said.
Meanwhile, Villar remained thankful for Sotto’s endorsement, noting how the Senate President has endorsed reelectionists before.
“He has endorsed us [before]. I’m grateful to SP Tito Sotto,” Villar said, speaking partly in Filipino, in an ambush interview on Sunday.
/je /atm