The former schoolmates of presidential bet Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), including those who worked with him during his stint in the Philippine National Police (PNP), showed up in Tarlac City to express their all-out support for his candidacy.
Lacson campaigned in the province, Monday, April 25, together with his running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and senatorial aspirant Emmanuel "Manny" Piñol. The three of them also engaged the electorate in a dialogue held at the Tarlac State University.
In his speech, Lacson acknowledged the presence of his "mistahs" from the PMA as well as his former staff members, including retired police General Nicanor ‘Nic’ Bartolome, who served as his spokesperson when he was still PNP Chief.
Also present were retired Major Generals Rey Acop, Ray Rivera, and Dong Tabamo, who went with his wife Consul General Lulu Tabamo.
Lacson likewise mentioned retired colonel-turned-lawyer Oscar Martinez, who was their valedictorian in the PMA Class of 1971, as well as Jun Fabros.
According to Lacson, Bartolome—who also later on succeeded him as PNP Chief from 2011 to 2012—has been actively helping in his presidential campaign together with his brothers. He is from Tarlac and served under the administration of fellow Tarlaqueño, the late President Benigno S. Aquino III.
’He has been switching places, going to Cotabato and back home to Tarlac, and he is continuing the same advocacies I had when I was Chief PNP, that is to discipline the ranks of the police force, eliminate corruption, and restore public trust to the PNP organization,’’ Lacson said of Bartolome.
Lacson and Sotto presented their decades-long political track record and legislative contributions, especially during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, in trying to win the support of some 898,634 voters from Tarlac for their tandem.
'’Let us remember, once we go to our polling precincts and think about those we are going to vote for, may you be left with no other choice but to vote for the most qualified, most competent, who have the longest experience in public service and who are honest,’’ Lacson said of Bartolome.
Lacson vouched for the leadership skills of Sotto, who, he said, was a "consensus builder" throughout his tenure as Senate President. He also praised Piñol for subjecting himself to an extensive "lifestyle check" for seven months in defense of his integrity during his time as Secretary of Agriculture.
The presidential candidate encouraged voters in Tarlac City to refrain from choosing candidates who have a history of stealing from the nation’s coffers, deceiving the public, and are mentally unstable if they don’t want the Philippines to remain in a state of decline.