Lacson admits feeling insulted by LP's Leni-Sotto tandem 'push'

Senator Panfilo Lacson bared Thursday that he felt insulted after the second "unity talks" with Liberal Party leaders, saying the opposition apparently attempted to push for a Robredo-Sotto tandem in the My 2022 polls.

During the Pandesal Forum Thursday, Lacson said that after his second meeting with LP leaders --Vice President Leni Robredo and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, including his running-mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III -- he realized that “unification was not the objective” of the opposition.

“Yes, unification but...walang pinag-uusapan kung kaninong under ‘yung unification para maliwanag (they are not clear on which camp the unification efforts will be under),” he said.

“During our second meeting, using hand motion, si Senator Drilon mismo, itinuro niya si Vice Presient Leni saka si Senate President Sotto na sila yung magka-tandem,” Lacson said.

(During our second meeting, Senator Drilon -- using hand motion -- apparently pointed his fingers at VP Leni and Senate President Sotto for a possible tandem.)

‘Too insulting’

Lacson said that while he did not see Drilon's hand gestures himself, Sotto informed him about it after their meeting.

“It’s good that I did not notice it. I was only informed by the Senate President after our meeting. Sabi niya ‘Di mo ba napansin na yung dalawang daliri ni Frank nakaturo sa aming dalawa?’” Lacson said quoting Sotto.

(Senate President Sotto told me 'Didn't you notice the fingers of Frank? It was pointed at me and VP Leni.)

“Parang effectively, telling me in my face to withdraw and mag-create ng bagong (create a new) tandem between the vice president and the Senate president. So sa akin (for me), you know, when I was told that. I felt insulted, had I noticed it, I could’ve stood up and left that meeting,” he added.

Lacson emphasized that “it’s too insulting to say the least” that these gestures were made right in his face.

“Ako lang ang pwedeng mag-decide kung magwi-withdraw ako. No other person because ito na yung desisyon ko. 'Di naman din madaling mag-process,” he said.

(I am the only one who can decide if I will withdraw from the race. No other person because this is my decision. It is not easy to process this.)

During the meeting, Lacson told Drilon that they have “reached the point of no return” as they already conducted talks with other personalities, including high-profile and low-key businessmen.

Moreover, Lacson said he was convinced that the unification effort was meant to rally behind the opposition after they conducted the second meeting with the LP leaders and their previous rejection of his “unification formula” for Eleksyon 2022.

“I made a suggestion, sure unification formula, but unfortunately or fortunately, it was rejected outright….and then during the second meeting, doon ko talaga na-confirm na yung (that is when I confirmed that the) unification effort is only to unify under them, nothing more,” he said.

On the other hand, Drilon denied Sotto's claim that he had made the hand gesture that has led to Lacson’s interpretation.

“The meeting was held as part of the effort of VP Leni to unify the opposition. I do not recall those hand gestures attributed to me, much less the interpretation accorded to it. I have no further comment,” Drilon told GMA News Online in a Viber message.

GMA News Online also tried reaching out to Vice President Robredo’s spokesperon Barry Gutierrez, but he has yet to reply as of posting time.

Recently, Robredo said she will no longer pursue unity talks with her fellow 2022 presidential aspirants, as her focus now is on "people's support."

Prior to the filing of their certificates of candidacy for president, Robredo met with Lacson, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, and Senator Manny Pacquiao separately to discuss the idea of a united opposition ticket.

But the unity talks did not prosper. —LBG/RSJ, GMA News