Sen. Grace Poe on Tuesday said former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson was dropped from her senatorial ticket to give others who were equally capable a chance to run in the elections.
In an interview at the sidelines of the presidentiable forum organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Poe said Lacson remained a competent senatorial candidate but he already enjoyed the backing of two other major political parties.
READ: Lacson: Poe dropped me from slate in favor of Edu Manzano
Lacson is a guest candidate of Liberal Party under standard-bearer Mar Roxas as well as United Nationalist Alliance under Vice President Jejomar Binay.
“Si Senator Ping, magaling. Nung una kami nag-usap, isa talaga siya sa inimbitahan naming isama sa slate. Nung nagfile na, nakita namin na isang administration party dinadala na siya, tapos yung isang malakas na opposition party, dala din siya,” Poe said.
Poe said other candidates also deserved the chance to run under a party. She recounted her chance to be a guest candidate under the Liberal Party-led coalition Team PNoy in the 2013 senatorial elections.
“Marami rin naman na walang suporta na pwede naman nating bigyan ng pagkakataon. Nung tumakbo ako nun, malayo ako sa survey pero nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon ng administrasyon,” Poe said.
“Nung nag-usap kami, sinabi ni Senator Ping na hindi pa niya alam ang mechanisms ng pagsama niya sa kampanya. May mga ibang tao na willing at mayroong adbokasiya rin na magandang isulong,” she said.
In an interview on Tuesday, Lacson said he was dropped from Poe’s senatorial ticket to give way to actor/host and former Optical Media Board Chair Edu Manzano. Manzano ran and lost as the vice president of then Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats standard-bearer Gibo Teodoro in the 2010 elections.
Lacson, however, said he harbored no ill feelings against Poe for dropping him. But Lacson said he would support the presidential bid of Roxas. Marc Jayson Cayabyab/RC