Lacson: Being guest candidate a ‘privilege’

Senatorial aspirant Ping Lacson files his certificate of candidacy. RUEL PEREZ/RADYO INQUIRER 990AM

Senatorial aspirant Panfilo “Ping” Lacson may have filed his certificate of candidacy as an independent, but he revealed that he was invited to be a guest candidate by the three leading presidential contenders.

On Monday, he was introduced as part of the Liberal Party’s “Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid” to run with standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and his vice president Leni Robredo.

READ: LP bares slate dubbed ‘Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid’

“Bakit mo naman ire-refuse kung igue-guest candidate ka ng isang presidential candidate? As a matter of fact, hindi lang si Sec. Mar ‘yung nagoffer na mag-adopt, pati ‘yung ibang presidential candidate nakipagusap rin para mag-adopt sa akin as guest candidate,” he said Tuesday in an interview on Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.

(Why would you refuse an invitation to be a guest candidate of a presidential candidate? As a matter of fact, it was not just Sec. Mar who offered to adopt me, even other presidential candidates talked to me to adopt me as their guest candidate.)

He revealed that he also talked to Senator Grace Poe twice, and that an emissary from Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance also invited him to join their Senate slate. He was also included on the ‘dream team’ of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who on Monday reiterated that he was not going to run for president.

READ: Duterte has drawn up ‘dream team’ of 8 senatorial bets, says supporter

“Ang sagot ko naman sa kanila tuwing mag-ooffer sila ng guest candidate, siyempre pribilehiyo ‘yun at hindi ko din naman sila mapipigil kung gusto nila magadopt ng mga kandidato nila. Parang arrogance naman yata ‘yun kapag sinabi mong ‘ayaw kong magpa-adopt sa iyo,’” he said.

(I would tell them each time they invite me to be their guest candidate that it’s a privilege and I cannot stop them from inviting other guest candidates. It would be arrogant of me to reject their offers.)

He also said that at this point, he cannot publicly say whom among Poe, Binay and Roxas he is supporting.

“Unique para sa akin ‘tong 2016 elections, ito lahat kaibigan ko kasi pati ‘yung mga tumatakbong bise presidente. Kung sa punto ng personal relationship o official relationship, wala kang maitutulak kabigin. So mga issues na lang ang pagiisipan ng mabuti para ‘yun ang magiging batayan kung sino ang dapat suportahan,” he explained.

(The 2016 elections is unique because the presidential and even the vice presidential candidates are my friends. As far as personal relationships or official relationships are concerned, I cannot say anything negatively about them. Their stand on several issues will be my basis on picking the candidate I will support.)

He said that as an independent candidate who has the support of different parties, he “can join their sorties or go solo.”