Some polling firms have reportedly been excluding Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson in the choices for possible presidential bets preferred by voters in the 2022 elections, the senator disclosed on Saturday, September 18.
In a radio interview, Lacson said his running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto III, received information that responses favoring him as a candidate for next year's presidential race are being "invalidated" in some election surveys.
"Ini-invalidate pagka may sumagot na 'Lacson'. Hindi raw kasama, invalid daw (If people answered 'Lacson' as their choice for president, the response is being invalidated. They were told that I am not included, that I am invalid)," Lacson said over DWIZ radio.
"Eh papaano naman tayo aangat sa survey kung pinupwera -- eh ako pa nga lang yong nakapagdeklara. Hindi raw isinasama, iinvalidate 'yong respondents na nagsasabi na ako 'yong kanilang choice (How will I be able to rank high in surveys if I am being excluded -- when I am the only one so far who has declared the presidential bid. It was excluded, that respondents were invalidated if they say I am their choice)," he lamented.
"Dapat parehas tayo, hindi 'yong -- ewan ko kung sino 'yong nag-commission non -- 'Pag ito 'yong pangalan na lalabas, gawin niyong invalid'. Eh paano ka maniniwala sa survey niyan (Surveys should be fair -- I don't know who commissioned that -- that 'If this name floats up, invalidate the response'. How can we believe surveys now)?" he further said.
Lacson said he is still verifing which survey firm has been disregarding his name as a potential presidential candidate.
Last September 8, Lacson and Sotto formally announced their plan to run for president and vice president, respectively, in the 2022 national and local elections.
The two belong in different political parties, with Lacson chairing the revived Partido Reporma and Sotto heading the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).
Asked about the recent meeting between Partido Reporma and Senator Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, meanwhile, Lacson said they would wait for the boxing senator to decideon his political plans.
He did not disclose details of the meeting.
"Mahirap magspeculate hangga't hindi sila nakakapagdesisyon...Magte-take off na lang kami doon kung ano 'yong magiging final na pag-uusap (It's hard to speculate when they have yet to decide...We will just take off from there whatever the final arrangement would be)," Lacson said.
Pacquiao, who is being rumored as also eyeing the presidency, is expected to announce his decision during the national assembly to be conducted by his group in the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on Sunday, Sept. 19.