Partido Reporma standard bearer Sen. Panfilo Lacson shows a clip where Sen. Win Gatchalian openly endorsed the Marcos-Duterte tandem during the proclamation rally at the Philippine Arena. He says that's enough reason to drop him from their senate slate | @GergCahiles pic.twitter.com/hPvUDCRU5C
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) February 10, 2022
“Obviously, they are not ours,” he added. “They now cease to be part of the Lacson-Sotto team.”
He sent his brother Rep. Wes Gatchalian to represent him at the Lacson-Sotto event.
Gatchalian accepted the decision while apologizing for any “misunderstanding” he may have caused.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10) — Another senatorial candidate was scrapped from the line-up of presidential bet Ping Lacson and vice presidential aspirant Tito Sotto.
At a press event on Thursday, Sotto said he was approached by Gatchalian and Senator Migz Zubiri the night before the proclamation rally to say the would be attending the Marcos-Duterte event at the Philippine Arena.
Lacson on Thursday announced that reelectionist Sherwin Gatchalian suffered the same fate as senatorial candidate Herbert Bautista, who was axed from the Lacson-Sotto ticket on Wednesday.
Lacson and Sotto on Wednesday said they will continue to support their slate as long as they do not endorse other candidates.
“Sen Sherwin Gatchalian and ex-Mayor Herbert Bautista have made their choices of the principles and advocacies that they will embrace moving forward in this political exercise,” Lacson said in a tweet.
Sotto said both senatorial candidates assured him they would not endorse anyone else. He added Zubiri remained true to his word and honored the “gentleman’s agreement.”
When asked if he was hurt about what happened, Sotto answered: “Hindi, para kaming nabubunutan ng tinik. Dahil 15 yung gusto naming iendorse, ngayon 13 na lang.”
Gatchalian, like Bautista, was a no-show in the Lacson-Sotto proclamation rally and opted to attend the rally of the tandem of Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte held on the same day. A video showed Gatchalian calling Marcos “ang ating pangulo” (our President) and Duterte “ang ating Bise Presidente” (our Vice President).
[Translation: No, it seems like a wight is being lifted. Because we wanted to endorse 15, now there are just 13.]
Sotto, Gatchalian, and Bautista are all running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition, with Sotto as party chairman.
Aside from their own senatorial line-ups, the presidential and vice presidential tandems share several guest candidates to complete the list of bets they will endorse.
