Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Monday, May 31 admitted that he is considering running for vice president in the May 2022 elections.
“The Office of the Vice President is something else...I have to admit I’m thinking about it unlike the other politicians who say they’re not running but on the day of the registration, nangunguna (they lead),” Sotto said in an interview over ANC Headstart.
Sotto had ranked third among the preferred vice presidential candidates in next year’s elections, based on a Pulse Asia survey.
However, Sotto said he would consider running if the Office of the Vice President is given a more prominent role.
“What would make me run? If we can upgrade the vice president into something...like for example, if the vice president will be handling the problem of illegal drugs and drug abuse, remove it from the plate of the President,” he pointed out.
“That’s what I’m saying. You enlarge the program and the Office of the Vice President to be able to do something like that. If we do that, perhaps, yes, I will consider,” Sotto said.
But should he run, he would back Senator Panfilo Lacson’s presidential bid. Lacson has ranked 8th among preferred presidential candidates for next year’s polls.
“If I do consider it, the number one on my list would be Senator Lacson. I know his capabilities. I know what he can do for the country...If he runs for President I will support him,” he said.
Sotto also admitted that he and Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao “had been talking.”
“As a matter of fact, I was supposed to have a meeting with Sen. Lacson and Sen. Manny Pacquiao last night (Sunday evening),” he pointed out.
Nevertheless, Sotto said he is also considering another inclination “which is to retire.”