Lacson quits Partido Reporma to run as independent

MANILA, Philippines, March 24 ------ Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, who is vying for the presidency in this year's elections, announced on Thursday that he is resigning from the Partido Reporma, after the political party decided to endorse another presidential candidate. Partido Reporma earlier announced him as their standard bearer. "I would like to make an announcement. Today, I officially announce my resignation as chairman and member of Partido ng Demokratikong Reporma, which effectively makes me an independent candidate," Lacson said in a press con on Thursday.

In a statement shared with reporters on Viber, he explained that it was the party’s president and former speaker Pantaleon Alvarez informed him yesterday that the party's slate in Davao del Norte, led by Secretary General and Provincial Governor Edwin Juhabib, chose to endorse another presidential bet. "Considering it is at the behest of these top-tier officials that I was recruited as a member and the party's standard-bearer and thereafter elected as its chairman, I believe it's only decent and proper- consistent with my time-honored uncompromising principles- to make this decision," Lacson said.

He said that he will continue to run as the country's chief executive "if God and the Filipino people will it, come May 9, 2022." He said he harbors no ill-feelings towards any member of the Partido Reporma after they made their decision. "To all the members and candidates of Partido Reporma outside of Davao del Norte...with or without party affiliation, I am not leaving you behind," he added.

In 2021, Lacson became the Chairman of the political party. Partido Reporma was founded by ex-Defense Secretary Renato de Villa when he left the Lakas-NUCD after former President Fidel Ramos moved to endorse former speaker Jose De Venecia Jr. for the Presidency in 1998.

Lacson launched his presidential campaign on February 8 in his hometown Imus, Cavite. The longtime public servant promises an administration run by good governance and free from corruption, where he can push for "leadership by example." The lawmaker first ran for the country's top executive position in the 2004 polls, but lost to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Source: philstar.com