Independent presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson respects the decision of the influential Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) to endorse the Palace bid of another candidate.
‘’Hindi naman lahat ng election mag-eexpect ka na ieendorse ka. Yun ang downside minsan ng survey (You can't expect that you'll get endorsed during every election),’’ Lacson said, adding that INC had supported his past senatorial bids where he won.
Among the 10 presidential candidates, various pre-election surveys have shown that Lacson stayed mostly at fifth place while former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has consistently topped the surveys.
Before the INC announced its decision to endorse the presidential and vice presidential candidacies of Marcos Jr. and Davao city Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, respectively. Lacson was asked Tuesday if he was hoping for an endorsement from the INC.
Lacson replied, ‘’Any endorsement from particular group particularly mga malalaking grupo syempre (big groups) most welcome, especially tinatawag nating (what we call) bloc-voting.’’
‘’So talagang it also matters (It really matters). Marami rin naman naendorse na hindi nanalo (Many had been endorsed but lost). Meron din naman hindi na-endorse na nanalo (There were also those who were not endorsed but they won) In my case, in all my senatorial runs, I was endorsed so I won,’’ he said.
‘’Ito ang second time na probably na hindi ako ieendorse ng Iglesia (This will probably be my second time that I will not be endorsed),’’ he added.
Lacson pointed out that even traditional campaign contributors look at results of surveys but there are true believers that still send their campaign contributions even as there are a few days left before the May 9 elections.
Reacting to the INC endorsement, Lacson's running mate, Senate President Vicente Sotto said, ‘’We can only hope, we can only wish that all the groups that are endorsing candidates will base it on track record and what they have done and not based on surveys.’’
‘’Only groups that are endorsing candidates yun lang ang ating wish (that tis my wish),’’ he added.