Sotto: No call from other camps for me to drop VP bid

There are no call from other camps for him to withdraw his vice presidential bid, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Monday.

However, Sotto  disclosed there were requests to support other tickets.

The lawmaker made the remark when asked about the possible unity talks among vice presidential candidates.

“Wala naman. Walang lumalapit sa akin na ako’y mag-withdraw. May mga lumalapit na sinasabi na sumuporta ako sa kanila pero walang lumalapit sa akin na para ako ay mag-withdraw,” Sotto said in a CNN Philippines interview.

(There’s none. No one approached me to withdraw but there are some who asked me to support their ticket.)

Should there be any unification talks to be held ahead of the May 9 polls, Sotto explained his intention will not center on beating a certain candidate.

“The unity ng mga kandidato, I have not looked at it that way. ‘Di ako tumakbo para talunin ang kahit sino... As early as July, August, we already offered ouselves to the people. So whether may talunin o wala ‘di 'yon ang nasa mind ko,” Sotto said when asked about a possibile unification effort to beat Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the front-runner in the latest vice presidential pre-election surveys.

(I have not looked at it that way. I didn’t run to beat a certain candidate. As early as July, August, we already offered ourselves to the people.)

“Ang nasa isip ko: I know the solutions. I’ve been in national issues for a very long time and I know how to handle it. I will hit the ground running. Hindi ko pagpraktisan ang [Office of the Vice President]. Hindi ako mangangapa. That is what I am offering the people, not to beat anyone,” he added.

(What’s on my mind is: I know the solutions. I’ve been in national issues for a long time and I know how to handle it. I will hit the ground running. I will not make the OVP as a training ground. That is what I am offering the people, not to beat anyone.)

Earlier, vice presidential candidate Rizalito David urged other bets to unite to beat Eleksyon 2022 frontrunners— presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Mayor Duterte.

Sotto earlier said he will welcome any political talks.

On Sunday, Liberal Party stalwart and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon admitted that he had called Sotto after Partido Reporma led by Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez shifted its support

Partido Reporma is the former party of presidential candidate and Senator Panfilo Lacson— the running-mate of Sotto.

Alvarez’s Partido Reporma is now pushing for Robredo-Sotto tandem in Eleksyon 2022.

Meanwhile, Sotto believes there are still the “silent majority” and “soft voters” who could still deliver votes for them, two weeks before the May 9 polls.

These groups are composed of approximately 45% to 50% of the registered voters for Eleksyon 2022, the vice presidential candidate claimed.

“Up to the last moment, may tendency talaga ang mga kababayan natin na mag-isip ng tamang iboto,” Sotto said.

(Up to the last moment, there is a tendency for our countrymen to think and vote for the right candidate.)

“(There is) 45% to 50%. Approximately half [of the voters]. Some of them will be probably vote for a certain candidate. In a matter of two or three days, puwede magkapalit-palit ang isip ng kababayan natin (they may still change their mind),” he added.

Sotto said he has seen it in the past not only in national elections but also in the local polls.

He cited the 2019 mayoral elections in Pasig City, where his nephew, Vico Sotto defeated then re-electionist Mayor Robert Eusebio, ending the 27-year rule of the Eusebio clan.

“Pasig, in 2019, malayong-malayo ‘yung leading kay Vico e but nung pagdating ng eleksyon, nag-isip ‘yung mga botante,” Sotto said.

(In 2019, there is a huge gap between the leading candidate and Vico but on the election day, the voters used their minds.)

“The very good example is Pasig kasi ang layo ng survey noon but all of a sudden pagdating ng eleksyon, landslide. Baliktad. I’ve seen it before even in the national elections,” he added.

(There was a huge gap in the surveys but all of a sudden, the votes for Vico were landslide. I’ve seen it before in the national elections.)

In the latest Pulse Asia Survey, VP bet Sotto remained at the second spot with 34%.

The same pre-election preferential survey for vice president was topped by Mayor Duterte with 56%.—AOL, GMA News