Lacson sure Duterte won't endorse lawyers running for president

CAUAYAN, Isabela—Senator Panfilo Lacson is certain Vice President Leni Robredo and Atty. Jose Montemayor will not be endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte as his successor.

The presidential candidate made the remark days after Duterte said he wanted a compassionate person, "preferably a lawyer", to take over when he would step down from Malacanang on June 30. 

“E, dalawa lang ang abogadong tumatakbo sigurado naman na hindi niya iniindorso,” Lacson said in a press conference here.

(There are only two lawyers who are running for president and I am sure that he will not endorse them.)

Lacson's running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Duterte was not pertaining to any particular person.

“I’ve learned to read between the lines every time he says something,” Sotto said, adding that he had been friends with Duterte since 1988.

Lacson and Sotto reiterated that they would welcome endorsements but were not seeking any.

“Lahat ng endorsements welcome, lahat ng endorsements good, ‘wag lang sa demonyo. Local government officials nag-endorse, good, especially ‘pag presidente ang nag-eendorse, that is really good,” Lacson said.

(All endorsements are welcome and all endorsements are good as long as it doesn't come from the demon. If local government officials endorse us, it's good, especially if the president endorses us. That is really good.)

“It is really something pero kami ang ugali naming hindi kami nagsi-seek ng endorsement. Kung i-endorse kami maraming salamat kasi parang mahirap 'yung maging presumptuous ka na parang nanliligaw ka ng endorsement. Hindi namin ugali e,” he added.

(It is really something but it is not our habit to seek endorsements. If they will endorse us, then thank you very much. It is hard to be presumptuous as if you are courting the officials for endorsements. That is not our habit.)

Should Duterte endorse the Lacson-Sotto tandem, the presidential bet said this would have a “positive” effect on his numbers.

In the latest Pulse Asia survey, Lacson ranked fifth with 2% rating. The pre-election survey was topped by presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

(Bongbong Marcos maintains big lead among presidential bets in Feb. 2022 Pulse Asia poll | GMA News Online (gmanetwork.com)

Based on their experience from the ground, Lacson said most of the local government officials are waiting for the endorsement of Duterte before they officially declare their support for a candidate.

“Talagang napaka-tentative, hindi sila maka-decide because they are waiting for whoever the president will endorse,” Lacson said.

(They cannot decide because they are waiting for whoever the president will endorse.)

“If only for that, e may value talaga. Being practical ah. But that doesn’t mean that we will kowtow to whatever the president wishes or wants us to do. Di ibig sabihin ganon. Ang sabi ko lang maski anong endorsements, especially coming from the president, who is very popular, is a welcome development,” he added.

(If only for that, then there's really a value on that. But that doesn't mean that we will kowtow to whatever the president wishes or wants us to do. Any endorsement. especially from the president, who is very popular, is a welcome development.)

Lacson further noted that the outgoing president’s popularity is a “phenomenon.”

“’Di ko alam kung anong meron si President… So, it’s quite a phenomenon kasi ngayon lang naming na-experience marami na rin kaming nasalihan na eleksyon,,” he said.

(I don't know what President Duterte has. So it's quite a phenomenon because we experienced this just now. We have participated in many elections in the past.)

For his part, Sotto refuted the assumptions that an outgoing president’s endorsement would be a kiss of death, noting that former President Fidel Ramos won after the latter was endorsed by his predecessor, former President Corazon Aquino.

“Malaking bagay ang endorsement niya. I think he is playing it cool,” Sotto said.

(His endorsement is a big thing. I think he is playing it cool.)

The Lacson and Sotto tandem visited Cauayan, Isabela to conduct a town hall meeting with various sectors.

They started their day by joining Cauayan Mayor Bernard Faustino Dy and the local officials in their flag ceremony.

Speaking before the employees and officials of Cauayan City Hall, Lacson recalled his stint as provincial commander of Isabela in 1988 when members of the New People’s Army planned to ambush him but it led to the killing of his subordinate, Lt. Rosauro Toda Jr.

Sotto, for his part, “reminded” them that he was the one who sponsored the law that converted the town of Cauayan to a city.

Interviewed by GMA News Online, outgoing Mayor Dy said that Cauayan remains an open country for all presidential candidates, adding that he wanted his constituents to hear the platforms of all aspirants.

“Right now, as you know, Cauayan is a strategic location so everybody comes here. So it’s difficult na mag-endorse ako as mayor of Cauayan kasi nga everybody comes here and everybody is welcome," Dy said.

"As much as possible, we want all the presidentiables to deliver their platforms para marinig din ng aking mga kababayan ang kani-kanilang mga plataporma and siguro from there, that is the time that we’ll choose,” he added.

The local chief executive said all other candidates received the same treatment as what they have given to Lacson and Sotto.

Isabela is one of the provinces that are considered as part of the so-called “Solid North.”

The lawmaker made the remark after Duterte said the next chief executive should be compassionate and preferably a lawyer.

Of the 10 presidential candidates, only Vice President Leni Robredo and Jose Montemayor Jr are lawyers.

According to the data of the Commission on Elections, there are 1.112 million registered voters in Isabela for Eleksyon 2022. Of the said number, 90,464 are from Cauayan City. —NB, GMA News