Sotto says a mentor once advised not to wear black on election day
Then Senate President Vicente Sotto III. Photo from Lacson-Sotto media bureau
MANILA, Philippines — Although former Senate president Vicente “Tito” Sotto III does not follow election superstitions himself, he shared that a former mentor once warned staffers never to wear black on election day, believing it would bring bad luck and cause candidates to lose.
During the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate’s press conference in Mandaluyong City, Sotto, former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo were asked if they had any particular beliefs or practices to avoid jinxing their election chances.
When Lacson and Tulfo did not answer, Sotto shared that the late former senator Ernesto Maceda once had this superstition about barring the wearing of black clothes on election day.
“Wala naman akong natatandaan except no’ng araw si Senator Maceda, eh isa ako sa mga palaki ni Senator Maceda, 1992 hanggang 2000 eh. Si Senator Maceda may mga ano ‘yan eh, ayaw niya ng may naka-itim sa eleksyon,” Sotto said.
(I cannot remember any superstition except one before Senator Maceda’s, and I knew it because I was trained by Senator Maceda from 1992 hanggang 2000. Senator Maceda had superstitions; he didn’t want anyone to wear black on election day.)
“Oo, ang tingin niya ‘pag naka-itim, talo ka na. Hindi sa akin ‘yon, kay Senator Maceda ‘yon, sinabi niya sa akin no’ng araw. Kaya ‘pag boboto ka na, ‘wag kang mag-iitim,” he added.
(Yup, he thinks that when people wear black, they lose. That’s not me, that’s just Senator Maceda who told me about that before. That’s why when you vote, do not wear black.)
Tulfo and Lacson, meanwhile, said that they are leaving everything up to God, not minding superstitions about being extra careful on election day — not traveling nor taking risks — to avoid accidents.
“Meron naman nagsabi, actually ilan sa mga tao ko, sabi ‘Boss ‘wag na tayo pupunta sa Iloilo’ kasi may pamahiin daw, parang birthday din, parang kasal, na baka madisgrasya ‘pag sumakay ng eroplano o anumang sasakyan. Sabi ko kalokohan ‘yan,” Tulfo said.
(Someone told me, actually some of my people said ‘Boss let us not go to Iloilo’ because there are superstitions that forbid traveling through airplanes or cars during election days, just like during birthdays and weddings. I said that’s nonsense.)
“We have to leave our faith in God. Kung hindi mo pa oras, hindi mo pa oras (If it’s not your time to die, it’s not yet your time),” he added.
Lacson, meanwhile, noted he had the same mindset even when he was a police officer.
“Natatangi kong pamahiin, lagi kong pinapasa-Diyos. Mas que hindi eleksyon, mas que tuwing ako ay magli-lead ng raid, sisipa ng pinto, laging sa Diyos ko na lang pinapaubaya kung ano ang mangyayari sa akin. So hindi magbabago,” he added.
(My only superstition is by leaving it up to God. Even if it’s not an election, when I am leading raids, kicking doors, I always leave it up to God as to what will happen to me. So nothing will change.)
It was not clear if Sotto is implying something, but the crowd at the press conference venue laughed after he relayed Maceda’s superstition.
Currently, no candidate for the Senate uses black as a motif aside from Senator Imee Marcos — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s sister.
Weeks after Senator Marcos formalized her exit from the Alyansa, she appeared in a campaign advertisement where Vice President Sara Duterte — who has feuded with President Marcos — endorsed her.
In the ad, Senator Marcos and Duterte wore black, supposedly to show the current state of the country due to the many problems bugging the people.
READ: VP Duterte cites trust in Imee Marcos in ‘ITIM’ campaign ad
Several groups meanwhile claimed that Senator Marcos’ new ad, dubbed “Itim” (Black), is an accurate way to describe the future if their families continue to reign
In a statement last April 15, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said the campaign ad reflects the regime of Marcos and Duterte’s fathers, former presidents Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Rodrigo Duterte.
Bayan also said that neither Senator Marcos nor Duterte are part of the opposition.
With elections just two days away, Alyansa is faring well in surveys, with at least eight of the 11 candidates entering the Magic 12.
According to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Thursday, Tulfo leads the survey, getting 45 percent of the respondents’ votes, followed by his other colleagues:
- Sotto III (3rd, 37 percent)
- Senator Lito Lapid (4th, 34 percent)
- Lacson (6th, 32 percent)
- Makati Mayor Abby Binay (7th, 31 percent)
- Deputy Speaker Camille Villar (9th, 30 percent)
- Senator Pia Cayetano (10th, 29 percent)
- Senator Bong Revilla (11th, 29 percent)
READ: Erwin Tulfo leads final SWS survey on Senate race
A separate survey from OCTA Research meanwhile showed that eight of the 11-person slate are inside the Magic 12 — including Tulfo, Sotto, Cayetano, Revilla, Binay, Lapid, Lacson, and Villar. /jpv
