The opposition's move to unify candidates for the 2022 elections did not succeed because it was only a "scheme" to secure positions, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said on Wednesday, October 13.
"Unification could have succeeded if it was the ultimate objective. It failed because it was a scheme," Lacson posted on Twitter.
Unification could have succeeded if it was the ultimate objective.
It failed because it was a scheme.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) October 12, 2021
The senator, who is gunning for presidency, made the statement after he was insulted by reported propositions for Vice President Leni Robredo and Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III to run in tandem, instead of him, for a "sure win" in next year's polls.
"That was an insult," Lacson said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Tuesday, October 12.
"To say that right in my face -- mabuti (luckily) I didn't notice when it was mentioned, and when Senate President Sotto actually told me about it -- I felt insulted," he added.
"Wouldn't you feel insulted?" he further said.
Lacson said that the unity talks was a "missed opportunity" on the part of the opposition, after Robredo rejected his unification formula.
There was "no meeting of the minds", he said in recalling his previous meeting with Robredo.
He reiterated that he cannot anymore withdraw from the presidential race just to favor another candidate.
Lacson also maintained that he and Sotto are "pro-Filipino", and not after political colors.
"President Duterte, sometimes, may mga ginagawa siya na siya talaga ang problema (he does things that identify him as the problem himself)...But he is not always the problem, that's what I am saying. Sometimes, the opposition is the problem, because they're not offering any solution. They keep on criticizing the government without offering any solution," he said when asked about their tandem's position.
"We are always issue-based...Doon lang kami sa mali magpupuna (We will only criticize the wrong)," he reiterated.
Lacson and Sotto, who launched their tandem last September 8, were both confident that they have the "competence, integrity and the courage" to lead and address the problems of the Philippines.