The senatorial ticket of Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Vicente "Tito" Sotto III has started to take shape as more of their allies file their candidacies for the the May, 2022 elections.
Four senatorial aspirants from Lacson and Sotto's political parties have submitted their certificates of candidacy (COCs) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The Partido Reporma, chaired by Lacson, on Thursday, October 7, rallied for the bid of its members -- former Makati representative Monsour del Rosario, opthalmologist Minguita Padilla, and communications practitioner Paulo Capino -- for Senate seats next year.
Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista will run for a national post for the first time under Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).
Sotto confirmed on Wednesday that Bautista will be part of their senatorial slate.
Del Rosario, in a statement, said he joins Lacson's mission to eliminate crime in and out of the government and to improve the lives of Filipinos.
Padilla, for her part, vowed to pursue her advocacy for health care. She is the founder of the Eye Bank of the Philippines, where she also serves as president and chief executive officer.
She is also an adviser for Project ARK, a private sector-led movement under the umbrella of GoNegosyo, that set out to make COVID-19 testing in various forms accessible to Filipinos.
Capino, on the other hand, said he wants to represent and help address the concerns of people with disabilities (PWDs).
Sotto said that he and Lacson are currently considering 14 candidates for their senatorial slate, which they will finalize by Saturday.
Previously, Sotto enumerated the names that they might include in their line-up for the 2022 polls:
Former vice president Jejomar Binay (United Nationalist Alliance);
Former senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero (NPC);
Former senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito (NPC);
DICT Secretary Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan II;
Former senator Loren Legarda (NPC);
Resigned Mindanao Development Authority chairman Manny Pinol (NPC);
Broadcaster Raffy Tulfo (independent)
Sen. Joel Villanueva (independent)
Sen. Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri (independent)