Acop, Kim Henares lead Lacson campaign as former PNP, AFP officers back Ping

Former Antipolo Representative Romeo Acop and Aquino administration BIR commissioner Kim Jacinto Henares took on posts to lead the campaign team of presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Acop is now the overall campaign manager while Henares is his assistant after Partido Reporma switched its endorsement of Lacson's presidential candidacy to that of Vice President Leni Robredo.

"We planned this after the breakaway of the Reporma party from supporting our presidential candidate, Ping Lacson," Acop said.

"Gusto namin mag-meet kasi para ipaalam sa taumbayan na (si) Ping Lacson ay hindi po umatras sa laban… Kami na mga supporters niya, hindi rin kami umaatras sa laban,” he added.

(We wanted to meet to inform our countrymen that Ping Lacson is not backing out from the presidential race… And we, his supporters, are also not backing down from this fight.)

This developed as retired police and military officers and former government officials on Friday signed a manifesto expressing their support for Lacson's presidential bid.

Among those who expressed support for Lacson was retired police official and incumbent Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong.

The new campaign team and the support of the retired officials were announced at a news conference in Paranaque City.

Acop is also leading the Lacson-Sotto Support Group (LSSG) which has organized units in 59 provinces across the country.

In their signed manifesto, the LSSG officials and members highlighted Lacson's competence, bravery and honesty, which they said, made him the best candidate for the position.

“Mayroon siyang code of honor na natutunan niya pa bilang kadete sa Philippine Military Academy, at kailanman ay hindi siya nasangkot sa anumang katiwalian sa panahon niya sa Philippine National Police. Sa kanyang panunungkulan bilang Senador, hindi siya kailanman tumanggap ng tinatawag na ‘pork barrel,’” part of the manifesto read.

(He has a ‘code of honor,’ which he learned since he was a cadet in the Philippine Military Academy, and he never got involved in any issue of corruption during his time with the Philippine National Police. As a sitting senator, he also did not receive what we call ‘pork barrel.’)

Those who are present at the press conference are former Interior and Communications Secretary Eliseo Rio, ex-Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta, retired generals Carlos Tañega, Francisco Atayde, Edwin Corvera, and former coast guard commandant Vice Admiral Edmund Tan.

The retired officers also joined the event virtually and signed the manifesto including Magalong, erstwhile National Bureau of Investigation director Magtanggol Gatdula, and former ACT-CIS party-list representative Samuel Pagdilao, Jr., among others.

At the same event, Henares once again shut down calls from some Eleksyon 2022 candidates for Lacson to withdraw from the presidential race.

“Why don’t those who don’t have the capability and who cannot do the job back out? But if somebody who is… I always say we have the best (candidate) in Ping Lacson. Why should somebody who is the best back out? The ones who should think about backing out are those who cannot measure up to his capability,” Henares said.

On Thursday, vice presidential candidate Lito Atienza, the running-mate of presidential candidate and Senator Manny Pacquiao, said he will withdraw from the race if Lacson will also abandon his bid.

The suggestion came after Atienza floated a possible Pacquiao-Sotto tandem for the upcoming polls.

However, Lacson rejected Atienza's call, saying he was insulted by the idea. —NB, GMA News