BILANG PILIPINO | Lacson resigns from Partido Reporma; party president endorses Robredo

March 24, 2022 , 01:22 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(March 24, 2022) – A three-term senator running for president on Thursday resigned from his political party after he learned the party leaders will endorse his opponent, but he will still pursue his dream of winning the presidency by going as an independent candidate.

Political observers said Panfilo “Ping” Lacson’s resignation from the Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma was a face-saving move because his party has abandoned him and would likely shift support to Vice President Leonor Robredo. It is still too early if Robredo will benefit from Reporma’s shift.

Lacson was elected chairperson of the political party when he joined Reporma last year after nearly two decades of being an independent politician. Reporma was organized by a retired general, Renato de Villa, when he ran for president in 1998.

“Considering that it is at the behest of these top-tier officials that I was recruited as a member and the party’s standard-bearer and thereafter elected as its chairman, I believe it is only decent and proper – consistent with my time-honored uncompromising principles – to make this decision,” said Lacson.

Lacson formalized his decision to exit the party after party president Pantaleon Alvarez informed him that Reporma’s Davao del Norte slate, headed by party secretary general and the provincial governor, Edwin Judahib, chose to support another candidate.

Alvarez, a former close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, later said they would support Robredo.

“We need a leader. And for the 2022 presidential elections, given all these considerations and the crisis we have to overcome, that leader is a woman. Her name is Leni Robredo,” said Alvarez.

Despite this, Lacson said he “harbors no ill feelings” towards them for opting to support another aspirant. Lacson, a former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said he would continue his campaign along with his running-mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, and their slate.

Lacson said he would leave it up to their senatorial bets to decide if they would like to stay with him, but he’s confident that Dra. Minguita Padilla and former PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar would join them until the end. He said Monsour del Rosario, meanwhile, is much closer to the former House speaker.

But Lacson pointed out that his decision to leave the party was not abrupt since he already heard “insinuations” about the endorsement since last month.

“I will continue praying for them and their families, kasi no matter how short-lived ‘yung alliance namin, ganun pa rin. It’s their choice and I cannot prevent them,” said Lacson.

In terms of his campaign strategy, Lacson said nothing will change since most of the funds he received came from his friends and supporters. He said he felt more relieved than disappointed with his choice.

Sotto, meanwhile, said he was not surprised with the recent developments since his political partner has been independent for a long time. Former agriculture secretary Manny Piñol, who hails from the Nationalist People’s Coalition like Sotto, said this could be more beneficial to Lacson’s bid.

“You must remember, ‘yung psyche ng Pilipino, ayaw nila nung inaapi, kinakampihan nila ‘yun. Ayaw nila ‘yung iniiwanan, binubuhat nila ‘yun. And I think this, instead of this having a negative effect, I think this would even have a positive effect on the campaign,” said Piñol.

(MM | With reports from Maeanne Los Banos, News5)

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