Pacquiao says Lacson is ‘most qualified’ as next president (Sabong News)
Author
Mario Casayuran
Date
MARCH 17 2022
Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson continues to win respect among his fellow presidential aspirants as boxing icon and fellow Senator Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Pacquiao officially went on record to say he would vote for him if they are not running for the same position.
A press statement from Lacson’s camp issued today said Pacquiao aired his positive comments on Lacson when he appeared Thursday (March 17) in the “Serve the People: Sino ang Karapat-Dapat sa Boto ng Pilipino?” presidential interview hosted by Ted Failon and DJ Chacha over Radyo5.
“Isa pong siguro malapit sa puso ko ay, sa akin lang, si Ping Lacson—kung sa akin lang ha. ‘Yon po ‘yung pananaw ko (Someone close to my heart, if it were up to me, is Ping Lacson—if it were up to me. That’s my point of view),’’ Pacquiao said, when asked who among his rivals would he cast his vote for if he did not pursue his presidential bid.
Lacson, Partido Reporma standard-bearer, and Pacquiao have developed close professional ties as fellow legislators in the Upper Chamber.
The latter was even considered an honorary member of the so-called ‘macho bloc’ in the Senate, which Lacson co-founded with his running mate Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ C. Sotto III.
Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Moreno earlier mentioned that Lacson also deserves to be voted by Filipinos into office.
“Pwede namang iboto rin (They can also vote for him),” Moreno said during the presidential interview of television host Boy Abunda last January.
Meanwhile, broadcaster Anthony Taberna publicly expressed his support for a possible Lacson presidency.
Taberna recently described the former national police chief and veteran lawmaker as the “most qualified” candidate running for president in the 2022 elections.
“Personally, si Senator Ping Lacson ang pinaka-kwalipikado sa lahat ng mga kandidato sa pagka-presidente (Senator Ping Lacson is the most qualified among the candidates running for president),” Taberna said in a video streamed live on March 15 on his official Facebook page.
Taberna noted Lacson’s experience and competence since he was a plebe in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) enroute to a long public service and legislative career. The broadcast journalist stood firm in his assessment and said he was not afraid of having a different opinion than the majority.
“Ako, kahit na ako’y i-bash ninyo, sasabihin ko sa mga kandidato ngayon sa pagkapangulo—kung qualification ‘yung pag-uusapan—I think Senator Ping Lacson is the most qualified pagdating sa karanasan mula pa noong plebo, mula plebo hanggang sa ngayon (I don’t mind being bashed but I’m going to say, among the candidates running for president, if we’re going to talk about experience, I think Senator Ping Lacson is the most qualified when it comes to experience since he was a plebe until today),’’ Taberna added.
