Lito Lapid endorses son Mark to replace him in Senate

Video by Ryan Leagogo/INQUIRER.net

Senator Lito Lapid said his son, former Pampanga Governor Mark Lapid, will run for senator in 2016.

“Graduate (na ako), si Mark na lang ang suportahan nyo (I’m graduating [from serving in the Senate], just support Mark),” the senator, whose term will expire next year, told reporters in a rare interview in the Senate on Tuesday.

Mark Lapid is chief operating officer of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). He also served as governor of Pampanga from 2004 to 2007.

The senator said his son, who belongs to Lakas Party, might run in the Senate as an independent candidate.

“Oo, tatakbo sya kahit independent yun. At least qualified naman sya. Talagang nag-aral e (Yes he will run even as independent candidate. At least he’s qualified. He studied [for the position]),” Lapid said.

For his part, the senator said he would run for mayor of Angeles City since his two terms in the Senate would expire next year.

“Hindi naman ako bagay dito e (I’m not fit for this anyway),” he said when asked if he was saddened that he would soon graduate as senator.

But when asked why the realization after serving 12 years as senator, he said: “Joke lang, tsamba tsamba lang po (I’m just joking [when I said that]. It’s a hit-and-miss thing).”

Turning serious, Lapid said he was happy but always nervous in the Senate.

Asked again why, the senator said: “Syempre alam nyo na kapos ako sa pinag aralan e. Yung mga tanong, hindi ko masagot e di ba? (Of course you all know I lack formal education. Those questions [during sessions], I couldn’t answer, right?)”

Despite this, he added, he never stopped performing his job as senator.

RELATED STORIES

Lapid: Grace Poe has my support in 2016

Lapid builds new house, registers in new district