PRESIDENTIAL candidate Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said Friday, March 25, that his failure to contribute P800 million to his estranged party, Partido Reporma, for the campaign funds of its local candidates was among the major factors that prompted its leadership to support another presidential aspirant.Lacson belied the claim of Partido Reporma president Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez that they came up with the decision to shift support to Vice President Leni Robredo because of survey ratings.“If pre-election surveys was his primary reason for switching his support, I don’t believe it because like me, Mayor Isko and Senator Pacquiao, his newly chosen candidate is also lagging far behind the survey leader,” Lacson said in a statement, referring to Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao, who were also both running for president in the May elections.“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 P800 million in additional funding which I honestly told him I cannot produce. 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,” he added.On Thursday, March 24, Lacson announced his resignation as the party’s chairman and member. He said he will run as an independent candidate.In the recent Pulse Asia Research Inc., Lacson ranked fifth among the 10 presidential aspirants with only two percent of the respondents saying they would vote for him. (SunStar Philippines)