Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo M. Lacson wants to adopt former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol and former Senator Joseph Victor ‘’JV’’ Ejercito as his senatorial candidates.
That will bring Lacson’s senatorial lineup to four. The two others are Dr. Minguita Padilla and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar.
After Lacson resigned as chairman and as a member of Partido Reporma last week, Lacson’s third senatorial bet, Monsour del Rosario, switched loyalties and pronounced he was supporting Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid.
Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Partido Reporma president, earlier switched his endorsement from Lacson to Robredo.
Lacson said Alvarez’s chief of staff asked from him less than P800 million for local candidates of the party but could not produce such an amount because his campaign funds come from his friends and others who voluntarily give their contributions.
‘'Gusto ko na rin ampunin si Secretary Pinol maski NPC (Nationalist People’s Coalition) siya saka mga regular na sumasama sa amin, like si Senator JV kung may maitutulong ako gusto ko pa rin silang tulungan, for staying in the course and of course (I like to adopt Secretary although he is an NPC because he regularly goes with the Lacson campaign like Senator JV whom I like to help if I have the means because he stays the course).’’
Although he does not have much, Lacson said he has volunteered to financially help Dr. Padilla and General Eleazar
Although contributions do not come in big amounts, Lacson feels that the funds are enough to bridge the financial gap until May 9, 2022, the scheduled national and local elections.
Alvarez reportedly switched his endorsement to Robredo because Lacson is far behind the pack.
But Lacson pointed out that Robredo is a mile behind former Senator Ferdinand ‘’Bongbong’’ R. Marcos Jr.
In poll surveys, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao are in the third and fourth positions. Lacson is fifth.
‘