Partyless no more: Lacson now chairs Partido Reporma

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) — After running in three national elections as an independent candidate, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson – the first confirmed presidential bet in the 2022 polls – is now chairman of a political party.

Lacson took his oath as chairman of Partido Reporma before former Defense Secretary Renato de Villa, who founded the party in 1998. The party went dormant after the 2004 presidential elections where it supported the candidacy of then Senator Raul Roco.

In November 2020, Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez resigned as secretary general of the ruling PDP-Laban party and assumed as Reporma’s chairman. Alvarez is now party president as Lacson takes over the chairmanship.

Lacson said Reporma is now consolidating old guards and new members of the party.

"My advocacies are well-aligned with those of Reporma like people’s sovereignty and democracy, decentralization and devolution of powers, social justice responsibility, strong economic foundation, environmental awareness, voters’ education, among others," Lacson said in a statement.

Lacson was an independent candidate in the 2004 presidential polls, as well as the 2007 and 2016 senatorial elections. He’s now taking another shot at the presidency with Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III as running mate.

Sotto, chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, said his fellow party officials want to have a dialogue with Lacson ahead of the filing of certificates of candidacy in October.

Lacson said he and Sotto are "open to alliances with other political parties who may be willing to work with us for change for the betterment of our country and people."

Last week, the tandem also met with Vice President Leni Robredo of the opposition Liberal Party. Robredo’s spokesperson, Barry Gutierrez, said it’s part of the Vice President’s “commitment to forge the broadest possible unity” against the administration’s bets in the 2022 elections.