Inamin ni Senador Panfilo "Ping" Lacson na nainsulto siya sa pangalawang unification meeting kasama si Vice President Leni Robredo.
Ibinahagi ni Lacson sa Pandesal Forum nitong Huwebes, Oktubre 14, ang pangyayari sa unification meeting, kasama si Robredo at si Senate President Vicente Sotto III, nang tanungin siya kung ano ang ipinahihiwatig niya sa kanyang Twitter post noong Oktubre 13.
Sa kanyang Twitter post: "Unification could have succeeded if it was the ultimate objective. It failed because it was a scheme."
"'Yung Tweet ko, it was way of expressing my sentiment. Doon sa nangyari--na mga unification talks that failed. Sabi ko nga kung ang objective talaga [ay] unification, dapat unification talaga ang usapan," aniya
Binigyang-diin niya na kasama ni VP Robredo si Senador Franklin Drilon.
"After our second meeting with the Vice President Robredo and Senator Drilon. I felt that, you know, hindi naman talaga unification ang intention o yung objective," ani Lacson.
"Parang yes, unification, walang pinag-usapan kung kaninong under yung unification," dagdag pa niya.
Ani Lacson, sinabi sa kanya ni Sotto na gumagamit umano si Senador Drilon ng hand gesture na para bang itinuturo nito si Vice President Robredo at Senate President Sotto.
"During our second meeting, tinuro niya si Vice President Leni tsaka si Senate President Tito Sotto na sila 'yung magkatandem in my face. It's good that I didn't notice it. I was only informed by Senate President after our meeting," ayon kay Lacson.
"Sabi nya 'Di mo ba napansin? Na yung dalawang daliri ni Frank nakaturo sa aming dalawa.' Parang effectively, telling me in my face, to withdraw and magcreate ng bagong tandem between the Vice President and the Senate President," dagdag pa niya.
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na nainsulto siya at kung sakaling nakita niya iyon ay nag walk out na siya sa meeting.
"When I was told [about] that. I felt insulted, had I noticed that when it happened I could have stood up and left that meeting," aniya.
"Because sa akin it's too insulting to say the least na in your face na sabihin sayo na magwithdraw. Ako lang ang pwedeng magdecide kung magwi-withdraw ako. No other person because ito na yung desisyon ko eh, hindi naman din madaling magprocess and marami naman ang kumausap sa akin" dagdag pa niya.
Nanindigan si Lacson na hindi siya magwi-withdraw sa kanyang kandidatura.
"Ang sagot ko nga kay Senator Drilon noon ‘we have reached the point of no return.’ Because ang dami nang na-involve sa amin, I mentioned some names, sabi ko maraming high profile and lowkey businessmen who already have contributed in our efforts. Marami ring mga sectors na nainvolve na sa aming advocacy or sa aming movement,” paglalahad pa ni Lacson.
"At this point in time, I don't think we can still entertain the thought of withdrawing in favor [others]," dagdag pa niya.
Sabay na naghain ng kanilang certificate of candidacy sina Lacson at Sotto noong Oktubre 6, 2021.
Inanusyo naman nila ang kanilang tandem bilang presidente at bise presidente noong Setyembre 8, 2021.