Mayor Olivarez: Ping Lacson a ‘very qualified’ presidential bet

Senator Panfilo Lacson

MANILA, Philippines — He’s very, very qualified. This was how Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Thursday described Senator Ping Lacson as a presidential candidate.

Olivarez made the remark in an interview after Lacson paid him a courtesy call in his office in Parañaque City.

“Very qualified. Very, very qualified,” he said when asked by reporters how he found Lacson as a presidential candidate. The mayor cited in particular Lacson’s 50-year track record in public service.

“In terms of qualification wala tayong masasabi kay Sen Ping. Mula sa PNP siya, ilang term bilang senator natin,” he added.

Following his courtesy call on Olivarez, Lacson was scheduled to hold a town-hall meeting in Paranaque City.

Olivarez said Lacson would be one of the candidates to be considered by the PDP-Laban as it decides who to endorse for President for the May 9 elections.

“Senator Lacson is one of the names being considered for endorsement by the PDP-Laban,” he said in Filipino, adding the party may make its decision before the start of the campaigning for local posts on March 25.

For his part, Lacson said that while he does not want to be presumptuous about the matter, endorsements “are always good especially if they come from credible leaders like Mayor Olivarez.”

He added he and his vice presidential candidate, Senate President Tito Sotto, are not actively seeking endorsements though they will be thankful if they are given it.

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