Senatorial candidate Herbert Bautista, a former Quezon City mayor, has been taken off the team of presidential candidate Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and vice presidential bet Vicente "Tito" Sotto III.
This was confirmed today, February 9, by vice presidential candidate Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III, chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) during.a media briefing attended by presidential candidate Senator Panfilo M. Lacson, chairman of Partido Reporma.
The briefing followed a visit of Lacson and Sotto at the Quezon City hall.
Bautista, an NPC member, was reported to have attended the proclamation rally of presidential candidate former Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in Bulacan yesterday, Jan. 8.
He was absent during the proclamation rally of Lacson and Sotto at the Imus Grandstand in Imus, Cavite last night, Jan. 8.
Asked if Bautista is now officially delisted as a senatorial bet of the Lacson/Sotto tandem, Lacson replied: ‘’Wala na. Now, sa party nila, desisyon nila kung e-expel nila is Herbert quasi NPC e (It is a decision of the NPC whether or not to expel Herbert).
On what grounds, Sotto replied: ‘’Disloyalty. Ako and chairman ng party e (Disloyalty. I am the NPC chairman).’’
‘’That’s a decision the NPC has to make as a party, as a political party. OO, wala na (Yes, he is not in the list anymore),’’ Lacson said.
Lacson said Bautista sent a letter to him and Sotto but he does not understand it.
Bautista, according to Lacson, was asking permission if he could represent himself as NPC representative to the UniTeam of Marcos and Sara.
When asked by Lacson whether he understood the Bautista letter, Sotto replied: ‘’Malapit ko ng maintindihan. Di raw niya maitindihan. Ako malapit ko ng maintindihan. Hindi ko pa rin maintindihan (I am about to understand it. He (Lacson) said he could not understand it. I still do not understand it).’’