Sotto on tandem with other bets: No other president for me but Lacson

“HINDI ko iniisip yan (I am not thinking of that).” On this note, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III dismissed on Saturday a projected tandem with presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Sotto maintained he is focused on working with his presidential aspirant, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson.

“I have not given it a thought. In my sphere we are working on the presidency of Sen. Ping Lacson,” Sotto said at the CNN Philippines Vice Presidential Debates, when asked about the possibility of him and Marcos winning the May 9 elections.

He also maintained that if he and Lacson will be elected, they will use their more than 80 years in public service to address the humongous problems facing the country.

“After 30 years I think handa ako dito. So ganoon ang aking thinking…wala akong iniisip na kung iba ang mananalo at this point (After 30 years I think I am ready for the job. I am not thinking of anyone else who would win),” he added.

Sotto added that should he and Lacson win the May 9 polls, they will bring to the table their 80-plus years of experience in public service, along with the qualities of Katapatan, Kakayahan, Katapangan (Loyalty, Competence, Courage). “With these, I believe we will lead by example,” he added.

Earlier, Lacson – who is running for President under Partido Reporma – similarly dismissed speculation of a tandem with Marcos’ running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio – stressing he will stick it out with Sotto as his running mate all the way.

Lacson added his team-up with Sotto “remains committed to uplift the lives of Filipinos by fixing the ills of government (Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin Ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino) and by going after thieves, especially that in government (Uubusin ang Magnanakaw).”