Senate President Vicente Sotto III, acting chairman of the Nationalist People's Coalition, is willing to campaign for Senator Panfilo Lacson to become the party's standard bearer in the 2022 elections.
Sotto III floated this Monday, June 21, as he disclosed that leaders of the political party have agreed to begin asking their members across the Philippines as part of their preparations for next year's elections.
Sotto said the party's officers will go around the country "to get the sense" of their members about the 2022 polls, including their their possible candidates.
"We might start going around talking to them and find out also how we can help in their localities. That's the plan as of now," Sotto said in an online interview with reporters.
He said the NPC is not discounting the possibility of nominating a candidate for the presidential race, although he said that they could welcome Lacson, an independent, should the latter decide to run for the country's highest elective post.
Lacson and Sotto are considering running in tandem, for president and vice president, respectively, next year.
"That is a possibility, but I cannot speak for my entire party at this point when it comes to presidential candidate. I can get the support of the majority of them, but I cannot dictate on my partymates who they should support...We have never been that way," the Senate chief said.
Sotto said he and Lacson are still consulting sectors about their possible bid for higher positions. He, however, disclosed that they drafting their platforms should they run.
These include programs for peace and order, as well as those that address the country's problem on drug abuse, and for responding to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most challenging, he said, would be addressing the country's nearly P11-trillion debt, which is projected to soar to P13 trillion at the end of the Duterte administration.
Sotto said he personally would not echo the staple promise of creating jobs, but instead will focus on programs that would increase the salaries of workers.
"Kung wala kaming programa at wala kaming solusyon, bakit kami makikitakbo? Hayaan niyo na 'yong iba na nakahandang tumakbo na 'bahala na'. Hindi ganon ang mentality namin (If we do not have programs and solutions, why would we even dare to run? Let others who are willing to run without thinking of programs. That is not our mentality)," the Senate leader said.
"We're planning also, we're looking at the solutions, and if they are doable," he added.
As for possible senatorial candidates, Sotto said the NPC might field former senators Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Loren Legarda, and Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, who he said will seek a return in Senate.
Their potential candidates would also include NPC member and reelectionist Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, and maybe independent reelectionists Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Sen. Richard Gordon, Sotto said.
He added that he also heard former senator and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan eyeing a Senate comeback which he would support.
"At least mababalik doon 'yong mga...veterans (At least veteran senators might return in the Senate)," he said.
Sotto maintained that the NPC has remained "solid" over the years, and they need not to go around to secure the loyalty of their members. He had touted the NPC as the "most stable" political party in the Philippines.
On Saturday, former Ilocos Sur governor and Narvacan town Mayor Luis "Chavit" Singson joined the NPC.
Sotto said Singson "carries a lot of political weight" due to his influence in the north, as well as other local chief executives in the country.
"I think we'll be getting a good support nationally," he said.