On getting votes from Robredo turf, Lacson says prexy choice up to voters

Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson greets supporters in Daet, Camarines Norte on Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2022. Photo from Lacson-Sotto media bureau

DAET, Camarines Norte — “At the end of the day, it’s the individual voter who will choose.”

Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson said Wednesday when asked about the chances of him and his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, getting a chunk of votes in the Bicol region, a known bailiwick of Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Well, pwede natin sabihin bailiwick talaga ni VP Leni ito, ano. In the same manner na sinasabing ‘Solid North’ bailiwick naman ng ibang kandidato, and so forth and so on,” Lacson told reporters in a press conference here.

(Well, we can say that this is really the bailiwick of VP Leni. In the same manner that there is the so-called ‘Solid North’ bailiwick of another candidate, and so forth and so on.)

The “Solid North” refers to the supposedly strong or compact support of North Luzon voters to the presidential bid of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“So, at the end of the day, it’s the individual voter who will choose,” Lacson went on.

Lacson and Sotto are in Camarines Norte to kick start the Bicol leg of their campaign.

They met with Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo Tallado, who has reportedly expressed support for the candidacy of Marcos and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

“Well, the mere fact that we’re here, ano, right in the Capitol Building at sinamahan niya kami rito, I think, at least it says something. So, ayaw nating pangunahan [We don’t want to assume],” Lacson said, adding that he and Sotto prefer not to seek endorsements.

“Katunayan magkasama kami over lunch at saka sa dinner kagabi, never namin napag-usapan. ‘Yung schedule lang na naitatag ngayong araw, ‘yon ang aming diniscuss, nothing more,” he added.

(As a matter of fact, we had lunch and dinner together, we did not talk about endorsements. As well as our schedule today, nothing more.)

For his part, Sotto said he believes forging deep bonds holds more weight than endorsements.

“Ang experience ko mas mahalaga ‘yung mga malalalim na pinagsamahan…Sa tagal namin [ni Sen. Lacson] sa serbisyo—83 years ‘pag pinagsama mo—halos lahat ng government officials, lalo na ‘yung mga antigo ay kakilala namin at meron kaming mga pinagsamahan,” he said.

(In my experience, it’s more important to have deeper bonds…In our years in the service—a total of 83 years—almost all government officials, we have built a rapport with, especially those who have been in the service for a long time.)

“So, sa tingin ko mas mahalaga ‘yung mga may pinagsamahan kaysa sa salitang endorsement,” he added.

(So I think having relations is more important than the act of endorsing.)

The tandem is heading to Sorsogon on Thursday to continue their campaign activities in the region. They will return to Manila on Friday to attend a Senate hearing on the e-sabong controversy.

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JPV