MANILA - Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III clarified on Sunday that only select local leaders of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) already endorsed presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and his running mate Sara Duterte.

Sotto, who is also the NPC chair and running mate of independent presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson, likewise expressed disappointment on the report claiming that NPC has already endorsed the UniTeam tandem.

"Let me make this clear: The NPC has not endorsed any presidential candidate. While regional and/or provincial chapters may have their preferred list of candidates, such choices do not reflect the NPC as a national coalition of political allies and people's groups," he said in a statement to reporters.

"Thus, it is disappointing how a reputable news organization can spin a local/provincial story and twist it in favor of certain candidates by using a misleading title/head," he added.

Sotto said the news item with emphasis that he is the NPC chair "is an unacceptable and desperate move to optimize lies and exaggerated optics".

"We should not allow this to continue to happen, lest the freedom of the press that the Filipino people value gets misused and abused," Sotto said.

Tarlac (2nd District) Representative Victor Yap said during the UniTeam rally on Saturday that the province's NPC leaders are backing the Marcos-Duterte pair.

In another ambush interview by Radyo Pilipinas with Tarlac Governor Susan Yap, who is the NPC-Tarlac head and the congressman's sister, she said it is a personal decision and does not mean the entire party agrees with them.

At least 14 Tarlac mayors allied with NPC said they are also endorsing the Marcos-Duterte tandem. (PNA)