Sotto: It's Grace Poe or no one else

ANILA - Senator Tito Sotto said Thursday that the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) will not support another presidential candidate if Senator Grace Poe gets disqualified from the race. Sotto issued the statement in an interview with Alvin Elchico on DZMM election special "Ikaw na ba? Ang Senador para sa Pamilyang Pilipino." "Lagi namang walang pangulo ang NPC eh," Sotto said. "We have been the largest political party since 1992 but we've never had a president." "The President needs us, we don't need them," he quipped. Sotto, who has been topping senatorial surveys, said the NPC takes pride in its strength in numbers. The party is fielding 4,000 candidates this election, 2,500 of which are re-electionists. "As far as pulitika is concerned, marami kami. Right now, we have 2,500 re-electionists nationwide. 4,000 kami na tumatakbo na members," he said. Sotto also challenged party mates to take a leave of absence if they are not willing to support Poe's presidential bid.