Lacson, Sotto won’t do ‘traditional’ miting de avance to end 2022 campaign

The tandem of independent presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and vice presidential bet Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Lacson-Sotto tandem would “deviate” from “traditional” miting de avance attended by big crowds to conclude their three-month national campaign, considering a caravan at less visited areas in Luzon on May 7.

Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson said this during a press conference in Tagaytay on Tuesday.

“Gusto namin mag-deviate from the traditional miting de avance. Ang iniisip namin gawin, magkumusta sa mga lugar na traditionally ‘di pinapasyalan ng mga kandidato. Maliliit na bayan,” Lacson said, mentioning areas in Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

(We want to deviate from the traditional miting de avance. What we are thinking is to reach out to areas not traditionally visited by candidates. Small towns.)

“Parang Caravan…leapfrogging, kumustahan [Like a caravan, leapfrogging, to ask them how they’re doing],” he added.

Lacson is running with vice presidential candidate Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

The Lacson-Sotto tandem was initially scheduled to hold a miting de avance at the Plaza Miranda in Manila on Saturday, May 7, the last day of the campaign period.

But the duo will instead hold a rally on May 6 in Cavite, which Lacson said will be similar to a miting de avance.

Cavite is Lacson’s home province and the venue where the two officially kicked off their nationwide campaign last February 8.

“In the first place, ayaw naming tawaging [we don’t want to call it a] miting de avance, but it will look like one,” Lacson said of the May 6 event.

“But we want to deviate. Mas gusto namin hindi naman dialogue, papasyal kami sa plaza, terminal…’di io-organize ang tao sa May 7 [We prefer a dialogue, we will visit plazas, terminals, we won’t organize people],” he added.

“Sila, I’m sure paramihan na naman ng crowd, so magpapaligsahan na naman sila, ipo-project nila na marami crowd. We’ve seen it na may daya ang pagbibilang, panloloko just to project strength. Makikipagpaligsahan ba kami doon? Hindi. We will have our own rally to cap or to end our campaign,” Lacson further said.

(The others, I’m sure, will want to have bigger crowds, they will project massive crowds. We’ve seen it, there’s cheating in the counting just to project strength. Will we compete with that? No. We will have our own rally to cap or end our campaign.)

Sotto, meanwhile, said Lacson’s plan to instead hold a caravan on May 7 is a good idea since the planned miting de avance at the Plaza Miranda may last beyond the campaign period because the day’s final Mass in Quiapo Church ends at 8 p.m.

“Kung sakali kasi ang original na suggestion at plano namin na mag-miting de avance kami sa Plaza Miranda, old school…ang problema hanggang alas-8 ng gabi ang misa sa simbahan. Kung mag-uumpisa tayo after 8 baka abutin tayo ng alas 12, ma-disqualify tayo,” Sotto said.

(If ever we push through with our original place to have a miting de avance in Plaza Miranda, old school, the problem is the last Mass ends at 8 p.m. If we start the event after 8, it may last until midnight, we may get disqualified.)

“So mahirap, makakaabala kami sa misa. So maganda ang sinasabi ni Sen. Lacson…mas gusto ko yun, maganda yun para makamusta ang mga kababayan natin,” he added.

(So it’s hard, we might disrupt the Mass. So the plan of Sen. Lacson is good, I like that better, it’s good to talk to Filipinos.)

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