Presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson said if he is corrupt or a thief, it would be easy for him to cough up the P800 million being demanded by Partido Reporma president and former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Lacson was the chairperson of the party and its standard-bearer before he severed ties after he was junked for allegedly failing to give P800 million to bankroll the campaign of the party’s local candidates.
Lacson has stood his ground that Pantaleon asked him P800 million.
This was denied by Alvarez who texted Lacson that the party’s Davao del Norte Group had ditched him in favor of another presidential hopeful- Vice President Leni Robredo.
Despite resignation from the party, support for Lacson has continued to snowball.
Several Partido Reporma members have aired their support to Lacson, the latest- Jagna, Bohol Mayor Joseph Rañola and his team. They decided to part ways with Partido Reporma as well, so they could concentrate on campaigning for Lacson as president.
Ranola said they believe that no other presidential candidate embodies the strong leadership qualities they found in Lacson.
In a manifesto signed in Tagbilaran City last March 26, Rañola declared their intention to stay with their former party chair and to maintain their support to his presidential bid through voluntary ground campaign efforts.
Following the lead of Lacson, Ranola said they are also tendering their irrevocable resignation as party members effective March 26. Rañola is the provincial co-chairman of Partido Reporma in Bohol. He signed the manifesto together with fellow co-chairman Gen. Edgardo Ingking and their coordinators in the three legislative districts of the province.
“We agreed among ourselves to voluntarily offer our time, money and effort in support of him (Lacson), because we believe that he is the only candidate who has the competence, experience, courage and strength to address the very serious crisis that our country is facing
today due to the COVID-19 pandemic, corruption, unemployment, ballooning debt and bullying by China in our exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea,” the group said.
On the sidelines of his campaign sortie in Pasay City, Lacson acknowledged support from his loyal allies in Bohol. He thanked, including senatorial candidates Guillermo Eleazar and Dr. Minguita Padilla, who also decided to keep their allegiance with him.
He advised the two to stay with the party because they do not have to resign just to prove their loyalty to him.
Lacson said he gave similar guidance to other members of the party, especially their local candidates nationwide, saying it would be difficult on their part.
“They might be denied copies of the election returns and lose their entitlement to having poll watchers. Because the national and local elections are different. The poll watchers are needed by the local (candidates). So, that’s the situation,” he said.
On Sunday, members of the Lacson-Sotto Support Group (LSSG) in Negros Oriental said they are not shifting their support to another presidential candidate and would remain solidly behind Lacson.
“We, the supporters of Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson in Negros Oriental remain steadfast in our commitment to support and campaign for the candidacy of Ping Lacson,” the group said.
The LSSG assured Lacson and their fellow supporters that nothing changes in their stance, because as far as they are concerned, the veteran lawmaker mounted a national campaign that is firmly rooted on his time-honored principles, not his allegiance to any political party.
Partido Reporma members in Cavite—the home province of Lacson—also quit the party over their refusal to abandon their former chair. Around 60 officers and members left the Cavite chapter of the party, led by their chair Atty. Rafael Rodriguez.
Former Defense Sec. Renato de Villa, founder and chairman emeritus of Partido Reporma, has declared he is rallying behind Lacson’s presidential run.