Binay, Gordon still part of Lacson-Sotto slate; Herbert, Sherwin out
SENATE PRESIDENT Vicente Tito Sotto III and presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson during the filing of CoCs
MANILA – Partido Reporma standard-bearer Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson denied reports that former vice president (VP) Jejomar “Jojo” Binay and Senator Richard “Dick” Gordon have been dropped from the party’s senatorial slate.
“It is not true that we are dropping much less have removed ex-VP Jojo Binay and Sen. Dick Gordon from our senatorial slate. As far as SP (Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’) Sotto (III) and I are concerned, they continue to honor our gentlemen’s agreement unlike the two that we have dropped earlier,” Lacson said.
Lacson was referring to guest senatorial candidates Herbert Bautista and sEN. Sherwin Gatchalian who were earlier dropped from their slate for endorsing the Unity Team of former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
Sotto, in a separate statement, concurred with Lacson.
“I would like to set the record straight and clarify reports that Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senator Dick Gordon have been removed from the senatorial slate of the Lacson-Sotto tandem. Sen. Ping Lacson and I are endorsing 11 senatorial candidates as of the moment at hindi pa kasama dito sina (this does not yet include) ex-VP Binay at Sen. Gordon,” Sotto said.
He said he and Lacson have yet to discuss the matter to complete their “Magic 12” senatorial candidates.
Binay is running under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) while Gordon is a guest candidate of the tandem of presidential candidate, Vice President Leni Robredo and her running mate Senator Francis Pangilinan.
Meanwhile, Partido Reporma senatorial candidate and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar pledged to empower senior citizens by ensuring job opportunities for those who are still fit to work and ensuring that they would be provided with support for their health and basic needs from the national government.
Eleazar emphasized the need for a support system for the senior citizens during a recent meet and greet in Tanza, Cavite.
