Leyte Fourth District Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez on Wednesday confirmed she talked with Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson about running for senator in the upcoming May 2022 elections but maintained she is a member of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban).
Until now, however, Torres-Gomez said she remains undecided whether or not she would pursue a senatorial bid in next year’s polls.
“I confirm talking with SP Sotto. During our conversation, he asked me if I was interested in joining the senatorial slate that he and Sen. Ping would field during the 2022 elections,” Torres-Gomez said in a statement.
“While I am keeping my options open in terms of running for higher office, I have yet to decide if I should do that or stay in Ormoc and serve my hometown,” the lawmaker added.
Torres-Gomez said she is grateful and honored that both senators have invited her to be part of the Nationalist Peoples Coalition’s (NPC) senatorial slate for 2022.
“They have presented themselves as candidates who, this early, already have an actual plan in terms of moving the country forward. I admire their unapologetic, straight-to-the-point and confident pronouncements on how they would lead our nation under a new normal setting,” she said.
“I am a member of my political party, the PDP-Laban. I would also like to thank my party’s selection committee for considering me as part of their line-up,” she stressed.
“I will decide at the proper time if I would run for the Senate or not. There are many factors I must consider and evaluate before I make a decision,” she further said.
The PDP-Laban’s faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi earlier bared the initial list of senatorial candidates that would be included in the party’s senatorial slate.
Melvin Matibag, who stands as the secretary general, said Torres-Gomez has made a commitment to run under the PDP-Laban.
To recall, Sotto revealed that the lawmaker will join the 2022 Senate race under their lineup last July.
The solon, however, said that as of now, she is focused on helping the government in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
“And over and above that, we all have this pandemic to fight. All talks about elections is only secondary to that. We must unite and not just fight but win the war against Covid-19, as one,” Torres-Gomez said.