Three weeks before the May 9 election, some presidential contenders said on Sunday that they would unite and not withdraw their candidacies.
At a news conference held at a hotel in Makati City, presidential contenders Senator Panfilo Lacson, former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno swore to serve the government of whoever is elected to the country’s top post.
“Kami, pangalawa ay magsasanib pwersa upang labanan ang anumang pagtatangka upang baluktutin ang totoong pagpapasya ng taumbayan sa pamamagitan ng paggalaw na hindi kanais-nais o maglilimita sa malayang pagpili ng ating kababayan,” Moreno said, reading from their joint statement.
He insisted that none of them would drop out of the race and that they would all run their campaigns.
“Hinding hindi kami magbibitiw sa kampanya. Ang bawat isa sa amin ay magpapatuloy sa aming mga sariling kandidatura upang maging karapat-dapat na pagpilian ang sambayanan,” Mayor Isko continued.
Senator Manny Pacquiao supposedly signified his intention to sign the joint statement, according to Moreno. However, he was still on the way to Manila from General Santos City at the press conference.
Presidential bets vow they will not withdraw their candidacies
“Just to confirm, I personally talked to Senator Manny Pacquiao while we were together with Senator Lacson, Mayor Isko Moreno and Secretary Gonzales, and Dr. Willie Ong. He is one with the group, definitely; nakikiisa sa layunin nitong usapan. At he just had to fly to GenSan for an emergency last night. So, he was taking off while kausap namin siya (while we were talking) on the phone at hahabol siya rito as mentioned by Senator Lacson; na kung hindi man ‘yung video niya ay magkakaroon tayo ng kopya,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Ping Lacson’s running mate, said.
Pacquiao’s camp informed reporters that the senator would arrive “immediately once his plane lands any Minute now.”
Lacson stated that the union was necessary to inform the public that there were other presidential candidates outside frontrunner former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos J. and Leni Robredo, the Vice President.
“Parang nili-limit na lang ‘yung choice or choices sa dalawa. Nakakahon na lang and that’s the reason why we have to do this. That among 111 million Filipinos or so, hindi lang dalawa ‘yung pagpipilian. Actually, meron pang ibang tumatakbo,” he said.
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