MANILA (2nd UPDATE) – Sen. Panfilo Lacson's poor showing in pre-election surveys is the primary reason why his former party, Partido Reporma, chose to support Vice President Leni Robredo instead, it said.

Party president and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez said Reporma decided to support Robredo because, compared to Lacson, she had a higher chance of winning the elections.

"Naniniwala din ako that Senator Lacson is the best qualified candidate. Kaya lang ilang buwan na 'yung tumakbo, parang ayaw tanggapin noong mga tao 'yung qualifications niya," Alvarez said.

(I believe that Senator Lacson is the best qualified candidate. But even after several months, it seems like people don't want to accept his qualifications.)

"Siyempre maghahanap tayo ng kandidato na bukas ang karamihan sa suportahan siya. Sa politika, kahit anong ganda ng iniisip mo, kahit anong ganda ng saloobin mo para magserbisyo sa bayan, kung hindi ka mananalo sa eleksyon, wala lahat 'yan."

(Of course, we have to look for a candidate the public is open to supporting. In politics, no matter how good your ideas are, how good your intention of serving the country is, if you will not win the election, then that would mean nothing.)

Robredo has yet to catch up to the survey ratings of Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. But Alvarez also said he did not want to allow another Marcos presidency, considering that he was among those who protested against dictator Ferdinand Marcos after the 1986 snap elections.

"Ngayon ang pinag-uusapan natin, pangulo ng ating bansa. Mahirap tayong sumugal masyado. Kailangan sino 'yung nangunguna sa survey," he said.

(We are talking about the president of the country. It's difficult to gamble too much. It has to be someone who's popular in surveys.)

"Ayoko naman na 'yung unang laban na sinalihan ko, ganoon na lang 'yun. Eh may pangalawang laban, gusto ko rin na sumama rin ako kung anong pinanindigan ko noon, 'yun pa rin 'yung gusto kong paninindigan ngayon."

(I want to stay true to what I fought for before. There's a second battle, I want to stay true to what I fought for before, that's what I will still fight for now.)

• Can Robredo still catch up in surveys? Pulse Asia says possible, but difficult

Alvarez announced their party's choice Thursday in Tagum City.

• Robredo gets backing of Partido Reporma after Lacson exit

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Alvarez likewise said he is thinking of the welfare of his province, which might be affected by his choice of who to support.

"Kung halimbawa ay 'yung aming kandidato na itinutulak ay hindi naman mananalo, so paano na lang 'yung welfare nung aming probinsiya, sa Davao del Norte," he said.

(For example the candidate we supported did not win, then what will happen to the welfare of our province, here in Davao del Norte.)

"Siyempre tinitingnan natin, ano ba 'yung effort natin, hindi ba masasayang," Alvarez added.

(Of course we are ensuring that our efforts will not go to waste.)

FUNDS A FACTOR?

Lacson, in a statement Friday, said the shift of support to Robredo followed his statement that he could not produce P800 million for additional funding of local candidates.

"If pre-election surveys was his (Alvarez's) primary reason for switching his support, I don’t believe it because like me, Mayor Isko and Sen Pacquiao, his newly chosen candidate is also lagging far behind the survey leader," he said.

"Time to call a spade a spade. It was actually more about the issue of campaign expenses for their local candidates. His chief of staff was asking for 800 million pesos in additional funding which I honestly told him I cannot produce."

The senator added, "As I said yesterday, I harbor no ill-feelings for what he did. It is better that he both stop talking about this but if he insists to explain his action, I’ll be prompted to respond to correct his statements."

However, Alvarez said he "never asked funding support for our local candidates because we can very well fund our own local candidates."

He said Lacson might be referring instead "to the funding requirements for the precinct watchers."

Each polling precinct should ideally have 2 precinct watchers, who would be on 12-hour duty and receive a meal allowance of P1,000 each, he said.

“Normal for every political party who has senatorial and local candidates ang mag-field ng precinct watchers," Alvarez said.

(It is normal for every political party who has senatorial and local candidates to field precinct watchers.)

--With reports from Sherrie Ann Torres and Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News

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