Sotto’s partymate Gatchalian dropped from Lacson-Sotto senatorial slate
MANILA, Philippines — The Lacson-Sotto tandem has dropped Senator Sherwin Gatchalian from their senatorial line-up, Senator Panfilo Lacson revealed Thursday.
“Sen Sherwin Gatchalian and ex-Mayor Herbert Bautista have made their choices of the principles and advocacies that they will embrace moving forward in this political exercise. Obviously, they are not ours,” Lacson said in a tweet.
“They now cease to be part of the Lacson-Sotto team,” he added.
Sen Sherwin Gatchalian and ex-Mayor Herbert Bautista have made their choices of the principles and advocacies that they will embrace moving forward in this political exercise. Obviously, they are not ours. They now cease to be part of the Lacson-Sotto team.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) February 10, 2022
Lacson and his vice-presidential candidate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, first disclosed the removal of Bautista from their slate in a press conference on Wednesday.
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Both Bautista and Gatchalian are members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), which Sotto chairs.
When sought for comment, Gatchalian told INQUIRER.net in an online message that he respects the decision to remove him from the Lacson-Sotto tandem’s slate and apologized for “any misunderstanding that I may have caused.”
“I have worked first hand with Sen. Lacson and SP Sotto and I have nothing but utmost respect and admiration for the two gentlemen,” he said.
“I have seen their dedication to serve our people and their pure love for our beloved country. For this, I respect the decision of their leadership,” Gatchalian added.
