Lacson-Sotto tandem to trim down Senate slate from 15 to 12

Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson and his runningmate Senate President Vicente Sotto III visit Cebu with some of aspirants in their Senate slate. Contributed photo

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Friday they are eyeing to trim down their senatorial slate from 15 to 12.

According to Lacson, they currently have 15 names in their initial senatorial lineup. However, this may be slashed to 12 ahead of the campaign season.

“Lampas kasi ang bilang namin. Pino-problema nga namin magtatanggal kami ng dalawa or tatlo para maging 12,” Lacson said in a media briefing in Cebu when asked if they will add President Rodrigo Duterte to their senatorial slate.

(Our count is more than 12. We are thinking about how we may remove two or three candidates so we can have 12.)

“Kasi nung una inisip namin ito yung mga gusto naming manalo pero paano kami magka-campaign ng vote straight e 15? Parang nakakatawa naman,”he added.

(At first, we were just thinking about who we want to win but now, how will we campaign for “vote straight” if there are 15? That’s funny.)

Lacson said his party Partido Reporma currently has three candidates for senator while Sotto’s Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) has six candidates.

“Siyam na ‘yun so ang  opening na lang namin tatlo. May mga colleagues na gusto sumama sa amin na at least dalawa. Meron pang returning or comebacking na gusto rin sumama so ‘yun ang pinaga-aralan natin ngayon,” Lacson said.

(That’s already nine so that leaves an opening of three. We have colleagues who want to join us, that’s at least two. There are also returning senators who want to join so we are looking at it now.)

Asked how they are planning to trim down their senatorial slate, Lacson said it will be based on “like-mindedness” with their platform.

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Lacson-Sotto tandem heads to Cebu
 

JPV