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Lacson: Sotto is in for a good fight vs. Duterte in Eleksyon 2022's VP race


Senate President Vicente Sotto III is in for a good fight against President Rodrigo Duterte should they both decide to run for vice president in Eleksyon 2022, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Friday.

“That’s good. My vice presidential bet, Senate President Sotto is in for a good fight. He has become more determined than ever to go for it and is ready to rumble,” Lacson told GMA News Online in a text message.

Lacson made the statement when he was asked about Duterte’s recent announcement, saying he is “sold on the idea” of running for vice president in the upcoming national elections after his partymates in PDP-Laban urged him to vie for the post.

Asked for comment on Lacson's statement, Sotto said he will decide to run for the post because he wanted to push his advocacy. But he also admitted that Duterte's recent remarks also inspired him to gun for the post.

“When I decide, it will be because I have a program to offer our people. Any other candidate or competition is not a factor,” he told GMA News Online.

"At the very least, it could be inspiring for me," he added.

Sotto earlier said he would focus on programs that will curb drug proliferation in the country—the same advocacy that Duterte has tried to push during his administration.

But Sotto said his anti-drug campaign would be different from the approach of Duterte--his possible vice-presidential rival in the 2022 elections.

“My approach is holistic! Heavy on prevention and rehabilitation as a demand strategy without compromising the supply reduction strategy of enforcement and prosecution,” he said.

In a separate statement, Lacson said whether Duterte will run for vice president or not, the decision still lies with the Filipino people.

But Lacson said Duterte’s possible vice-presidential bid will push the Filipinos to choose between “more of the same or change.”

The lawmaker said Filipinos should ask themselves the following questions:

  • Have President Duterte and Sen. Bong Go made the lives of Filipinos better, or things need to be changed or reformed?
  • Are Filipinos treated with more respect by the international community or not?
  • Is there less corruption now, or is their government more corrupt?
  • Are we safer in our homes and in the streets?
  • Is poverty up or down?

“If the choice is change, we can simply reject the status quo. If we are happy with what we have become for the last five years, then continuity should be a better option,” Lacson said.

Earlier, Sotto 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.

On Thursday, the lawmakers kicked off their “Luzon consultative tour” in Malolos, Bulacan ahead of next year’s national elections.

They went to Tarlac and Zambales on Thursday. They are scheduled to visit Pangasinan and La Union on Friday and Ilocos and Cagayan regions on Saturday.

Sotto said the consultative tour is intended to get updates on the status of the local government units, check the COVID-19 situation in various localities, and gather suggestions for the post-COVID-19 recovery plan of the country.

On the other hand, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said Duterte can still run for vice president as the Constitution only prohibits his reelection as the country’s president.

“The prohibition is on reelection. The President, in my opinion, can run for vice president. Others would have a different opinion, which I respect,” Recto said.

“The Supreme Court will have to rule on it. I expect the race for both the position of president and vice president will be very competitive,” he added.

Some incumbent senators said Duterte would be the leading candidate if he decides to run for the post and winning the vice presidential race might save him from the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

This, however, was refuted by some opposition senators, saying Duterte’s possible vice-presidential bid is tantamount to “bending the Constitution” and this will also not give him immunity from ICC’s prosecution.—AOL, GMA News

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