SENATE Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III revealed Thursday that former Senator Lito Lapid was contemplating on returning to the Senate as the former came out with a list of the Nationalist People’s Coalition possible senatorial candidates in the coming mid-term elections.
“Lito is considering, seriously considering running again,” said Sotto, referring to the actor-turned-politician whose term expired in 2016.
Speaking in an ambush interview after the regular “Kapihan sa Senado,” Sotto said they were also talking about Lapid’s possible return to the Senate even before the latest Pulse Asia survey came out.
Lapid was ranked eighth to 15th in the list of “senatoriables” in the upcoming polls. He noted that Lapid’s name had been cropping up in the survey.
Sotto said he was in talks with his political group, Nationalist People’s Coalition, to consider Lapid’s inclusion in the list of their candidates for senators.
The NPC’s senatorial lineup, Sotto said, included reelectionists Senate President Koko Pimentel, Senators Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar and Sonny Angara.
Also in the list are former senator and now Taguig Representative Pia Cayetano, presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, and Special Assistant to the President Bong Go.
Hs said Senator JV Ejercito and his half-brother, former senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. were also being considered.
He said there was also a “big possibility” that Senator Bam Aquino, a member of Liberal Party, might be included in the list as former Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, NPC founder, would help him.
At present, he said the NPC had yet to finalize the list.
The candidates would be chosen based on their ideals, objectives, and goals that are in consonance with those of their political party.
He said there were also two to three newcomers the party was eyeing to support, but he did not identify them.
Meanwhile, Sotto said he was open to take the place of Pimentel if majority of their colleagues should give it to him.
“Who am I to resist? asked Sotto who revealed that some of his colleagues have been prodding him to seek the Senate presidency even at the start of the 17th Congress.
“But since we wanted a smooth relationship although independent, we wanted a partymate of the President to lead the Senate,” he said.
Pimentel is president of the ruling PDP- Laban, chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte. Pimentel is also a reelectionist.
He also confirmed that a possible change in Senate leadership was also discussed as Pimentel would have to prepare for re-election.
He said they would consider the leadership of the Senate again and they would consult the members.
He noted it was not proper that only two senators would talk on the next Senate president.