Lito Lapid mulling Senate return, Sotto says

Lito Lapid is mulling a return to the Senate, Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Thursday.

At the weekly Kapihan sa Senado news forum, Sotto said he is pushing for the inclusion of Lapid in the senatorial lineup of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

“Lito Lapid is one of those we are considering ... he is considering it also,” Sotto told reporters.

He said Lapid was initially not interested but changed his mind in the process.

“HIndi talaga siya interesado pero nung pinag-uusapan namin, he is considering it now, that will be the safest statement, Lito is considering it, seriously considering running again,” he said.

Sotto said he discussed the matter with Senators Panfilo Lacson and Gringo Honasan and they agreed to it.

“I have cleared it with some of our friends who are also his former colleagues, Sen. Lacson and Sen. Honasan, and they are in support [of it],” he said.

Asked if Lapid made the decision after the results of the Pulse Asia survey last week, Sotto said they have been talking about it even before the release of the survey result.

“Even before that, napag-uusapan na talaga ‘yun dahil lumalabas naman talaga siya sa survey,” he said.

Lapid was among the 15 names, out of 58 provided in the survey, who have statistical chances of winning. He received 33.8 percent and in the eighth to 15th places.

Sotto said he will be the one to bring the matter to the leaders of the NPC for their consideration.

“Ako ang naglalapit sa NPC, ako ang nag-initiate, nagtatawagan naman talaga kami (ni Lapid) dahil naggo-golf kami,” he said.

Lapid served two consecutive terms in the Senate, from 2004 to 2016. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News