Actress Sharon Cuneta said that she is hurt over her uncle Sen. Tito Sotto's decision not to support her husband Sen. Kiko Pangilinan's bid for the senate presidency, reports 24 Oras. Nonetheless, Cuneta expressed that she does understand her uncle's decision.

Cuneta said, "Ang alam ko meron lang ibang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya [Pangilinan] ma-support ni Uncle Tito. Masakit lang sa akin kasi kung sino pa yung magkakamag-anak... Mahal ko ang Uncle Tito ko. Masakit kasi second daddy ko siya." Sotto was the only senatorial candidate that Cuneta supported in the last elections, according to PEP.ph.

In 24 Oras' separate interview with Sotto, the senator said that he has spoken with Cuneta and Pangilinan. "They understand... Binanggit ko na may mga kausap ako at may mga kaibigan ako na tumulong sa akin dati na hindi ko naman basta puwedeng talikuran." Named by GMANews.tv as part of Sen. Edgardo Angara's bloc, Sotto is supporting current Senate Pres. Juan Ponce Enrile, according to ABS-CBNNews.com. Sotto is part of the Nationalist People's Coalition while Pangilinan is with the Liberal Party, according to GMANews.tv.

To be senate president, Pangilinan needs a majority of 13 votes from a total of 21 senators. So far, he has 11 senators on his side according to Cuneta. GMANews.tv reports that there are two other senate president candidates: Enrile and defeated presidentiable Sen. Manny Villar. "Nobody has the 13 votes," Sen. Franklin Drilon said on July 20, reports GMANews.tv. Voting is on July 26.

According to ABS-CBNNews.com, Cuneta felt "as if she was being stabbed and slapped several times after her husband was rejected by other senators as a viable candidate for the Senate presidency." In a PEP.ph report, she shared what she told her husband: "There are so many obstacles and anything can still happen before the 26th, but for all intents and purposes, I think it's obvious you've already won. You have 11 votes. And if there are two other senators that cannot vote for you, that doesn't necessarily mean ayaw ka nila. You have [the] majority. As far as I am concerned, you're already a winner."

Cuneta also said Pres. Noynoy Aquino handpicked Pangilinan as his senate president choice. The PEP.ph report pointed out that Pangilinan gave way to Mar Roxas' vice presidential candidacy, and Roxas gave way to Aquino's presidential candidacy in the recent elections.