Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Saturday said there was an an attempt to remove Senate President Vicente Sotto III from his leadership position after the head of the chamber announced that he was running for vice president in the 2022 elections.
Lacson, who is running for president with Sotto as his running mate, claimed that a resolution was being circulated among senators to try to get some numbers to support the Senate president's ouster.
He said Sotto informed him about the alleged ouster plot.
"Sabi niya sa akin, 'Partner, may tinawag sa akin yung staff ko na may kinakalat daw na resolution. Kesyo tatakbo akong vice president, kailangan palitan na raw ako," Lacson quoted Sotto as saying in an interview with DWIZ.
"Siguro draft resolution o signature campaign. Tinitignan siguro kung aabot ng 13 kasi 13 to oust e diba?" he added.
Lacson refused to identify those behind the alleged ouster plot, although he said that it came from the majority bloc. The Senator believes that the ouster attempt will no longer materialize.
"Kami naman, medyo nagbilang-bilang rin kami. Mukhang mahihirapan naman makakuha ng 13 signatures. Mukhang nag-fizzle out na," he said.
Should the ouster attempt push through, Lacson said he and Sotto would not take it against those who supported it.
"Kung sino yung nag-initiate, bahala na lang sila kung kaya nila yung numero. Alam mo, nasa demokrasya tayo, maski nasa loob ng Senado, makakuha sila ng 13 na numero, edi bababa si Senate President," he said.
"Ganyan talaga. Maski matanggal si SP, kaibigan pa rin namin sino mauupo, sino yung mga kasamahan namin na hindi bumoto sa kanya," he added.
Lacson expressed confidence that Sotto will still preside over the opening of the Senate session on Monday morning.
Reportr also reached out to Sotto to confirm Lacson's claims, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.
The Lacson-Sotto ticket is the first tandem to be confirmed for the 2022 elections. They will make their official launch on Aug. 4.
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