Lacson belies Atienza claim that Pacquiao did not intend to join Easter Sunday presscon

PILAR, Capiz — Presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday belied the claim of vice presidential candidate and House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza that Senator Manny Pacquiao did not intend to attend the joint press conference held last Sunday.

At a press conference here, Lacson said the reason why the press conference started at a later time was because Pacquiao requested to wait for him.

"It (his non-attendance) was not deliberate because kausap namin siya, naka-speaker phone siya, kausap niya si Senate President [Vicente Sotto III], the reason why naging 11 o'clock 'yung presscon, that was upon his request. Dahil 10 o'clock talaga yan e , nakiusap siya kasi manggagaling siya sa province," Lacson said.

(His non-attendance was not deliberate because we were talking with him through the Senate President. The reason why it was moved to 11 o'clock was because of his request. That was 10 o'clock originally but he asked us to wait because he will come from the province.)

"So, mali 'yung sinasabi ni Congressman Atienza. That's a lie.  It's only coming from him. Hindi galing kay Senator Pacquiao 'yon and I can't imagine Senator Pacquiao denying na kasama siya sa presscon, sa paghahanda sa presscon," he added.

(So, Congressman Atienza's claim was wrong. That's a lie. It's only coming from him. That did not come from Senator Pacquiao and I can't imagine Senator Pacquiao denying that he was with us when we were preparing for the presscon.)

On Monday, Atienza, Pacquiao's running-mate, said the presidential candidate's "integrity and common sense" prevented him from attending the joint press conference at The Peninsula Manila hotel last Sunday.

Atienza described the event as "unfair" and "anti-Leni" or against Vice President Leni Robredo.

Last Sunday, Lacson along with other presidential bets-- Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales held a press conference to promise that they will not withdraw from the race.

This, they said, was prompted by alleged attempts by Robredo's camp to ask them to drop from the race to beat the frontrunner, presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.

At the same press conference, Moreno called for Robredo to drop her presidential bid.

Lacson and his running mate Sotto have since distanced themselves from Moreno's call. Moreno's own running mate, Dr. Willie Ong, also said that everyone should continue with their candidacies. — RSJ, GMA News