Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista. INQUIRER file photo / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista has “no ill feelings” over the decision of the Lacson-Sotto tandem to remove his name from their senatorial lineup.
“I respect their decision and that at least now klaro na and both of them are true gentlemen naman na tinitingala ko bilang mga magagaling na leader, especially in their service to our country for the longest time,” Bautista told INQUIRER.net over the phone when sought for comment.
(I respect their decision and that at least it is now clear and both of them are true gentlemen and great leaders, especially in their service to our country for the longest time.)
“While my belief is that politics is addition, I have no ill feelings after they decided to remove my name from their senatorial ticket,” he said in a separate statement.
Bautista has been a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) since 1992. The party is chaired by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who is running alongside presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Lacson chairs his own political party, Partido Reporma.
Bautista said he is now endorsing the tandem of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
“I am endorsing BBM-Sara as president and vice president, especially now with this development,” he said, referring to him being off the Lacson-Sotto senatorial slate.
READ: ‘Bistek’ removed from Lacson-Sotto tandem’s senatorial list
It was in December last year when Bautista sent a letter to Sotto and other NPC officials informing them that he had been “endorsed and adopted” by the UniTeam, a political coalition backing the bids of Marcos and Duterte-Carpio.
A couple of days before Feb. 8 this year, the start of the official campaign period, Bautista said he sent a second letter, asking permission that he be allowed to represent the NPC in the UniTeam.
“Dito sa second letter, ang premise naman niyan, tutal 14 or 15 naman po yung senatorial slate ninyo [under Lacson-Sotto], may I officially represent the NPC sa BBM-Sara UniTeam,” Bautista told INQUIRER.net.
“That’s why I thank them, SP Sotto and Sen. Lacson, for allowing me,” he added.
Bautista noted that there has been no formal response yet to his latest letter. He attributed this to Sotto’s busy schedule.
According to Bautista, the decision of Lacson and Sotto to remove him from their slate will now “afford me the opportunity to openly campaign for the BBM-Sara UniTeam.”
Bautista, meanwhile, said endorsing another vice presidential candidate will not affect his membership in the NPC.
“The tone of my letter is that may I be allowed to represent NPC in the UniTeam,” he added.
Further, he said there was no “formal arrangement” between the NPC and Lacson’s Partido Reporma in terms of the two senators’ tandem for the 2022 polls.
“The tandem is just between Sen. Sotto and Sen. Lacson,” he noted.
Nevertheless, Bautista wished both Lacson and Sotto the best of luck in their electoral bids.