Former Vice President Jejomar "Jojo" Binay will be joining next year's senatorial race, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Saturday, July 24.
Sotto told reporters that he and Binay were in talks about the latter's inclusion in his and Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson's upcoming tandem in the 2022 national and local elections.
"Yes, he confirmed with us. Senate lineup," the Senate leader said in a message when asked to confirm Binay's senatorial bid.
"Sabi ko sa inyo big time, eh (I told you he is big time)!" he said, alluding to his earlier pronouncement that they are expecting a "big gun" to join their senatorial slate.
Lacson said Binay said would be a valuable asset in their ticket.
"Malaking bagay kasi maski kahit papaano, meron pa rin naman talaga siyang clout sa mga kababayan natin...Saka 'yong karanasan, hindi na rin matatawaran (It will be substantial, because he still has clout over our countrymen. And his experience is really unparalled)," he told radio DWIZ later.
The former vice president and the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) president was the latest addition to the possible senatorial candidates that Sotto and Lacson will endorse in the 2022 polls.
BInay, who also served as a mayor in Makati City, has been a critic of the Duterte administration, speaking against some of the President's policies and decisions, including his COVID-19 response.
In 2016, he ran for president.
With Binay's inclusion in their planned senatorial slate, the Lacson-Sotto tandem only has one slot to fill. That is, if Senators Richard Gordon and Sherwin Gatchalian would pursue reelection.
Gordon is also mulling a presidential bid, while Gatchalian has expressed openness to run for vice presidency.
Lacson and Sotto will run in tandem as president and vice president, respectively.