Lacson to decline 1Sambayan invitation after Carpio excluded him in list of preferred presidential bets

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday said he is inclined to reject invitations from 1Sambayan Coalition after its leader, former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio, excluded him from the list of possible presidential candidates that they will support in the 2022 elections over his role in the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA).

In a virtual interview, Lacson disclosed that the coalition has invited him to be one of the reactors to 1Sambayan’s Town Hall Meeting on National Security and Foreign Policy for 2022 on June 19.

“I’m preparing a letter-reply to them kasi sa akin, any self-respecting person or individual na precluded ka na tapos iimbitahin ka, mayroon naman sigurong respeto sa sarili ko na, ano pupunta pa ba ako dyan sa inyo?” Lacson said.

The lawmaker said he is “more inclined to decline than participate,” noting that Carpio stated that he has no problem with Lacson being endorsed for senatorial bid, but the coalition will not consider him in the list of their presidential nominees.

“To me, that doesn’t makes sense. I cannot reconcile kasi as a senator ako nga ang nasa lawmaking ‘di ba 'yung duty ko, mandate ko magpasa ng batas? Pinasa ko nga ang ATA e bakit pag ito tatanggapin niya ako, pag sa presidency out of consideration ako?” he further asked.

Lacson said he already expected that from Carpio as he checked the members of 1Sambayan and he found out that most of them are petitioners against the ATA before the Supreme Court.

In response to Lacson’s statement, 1Sambayan convener Howard Calleja said they remain open for discussions with Lacson and other individuals.

“We still remain open to discuss things with Sen. Ping and other well meaning individuals. However, those who do not believe in a united opposition are of course free to chart their own course,” Calleja said in a statement.

He maintained that 1Sambayan seeks to unify the opposition, and unite against dictatorship, authoritarianism,  extrajudicial killings, suppression of human rights,  and subservience to foreign interests.

These, he said, are the hallmarks of the Duterte administration.

Lacson is one of the names that is being floated as possible presidential candidate in the upcoming 2022 national and local elections.

On Monday, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he will be Lacson’s running mate if the latter decides to seek the country’s highest elected post.

Lacson confirmed this, saying it is already “cast in stone” that Sotto will be his running mate if he will run for presidency.

But Lacson maintained that he is still “processing very carefully” if he will gun for the post.

Earlier, 1Sambayan said it conducted initial discussions with possible candidates for president or vice president: Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Senators Nancy Binay and Grace Poe, Vice President Leni Robredo, and former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Senator Manny Pacquiao, however, will not be endorsed by the coalition due to their affiliation with the current administration.

In April, a Pulse Asia survey result showed that Lacson was among the top 10 names being considered as a preferred candidate for president for the May 2022 elections.—AOL, GMA News