THE camp of Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday said hybrid pairings will be the reality of Philippine politics for as long as the Constitution does not mandate tandem voting.
Robredo’s spokesman Ibarra Gutierrez said that while their camp is a “little bit concerned” that there are camps pushing for cross-party pairings, they have no choice but to accept such reality while sticking to the Robredo-Pangilinan tandem all the way.
“All the way hanggang sa dulo, ‘yun ang kinikilos namin (Leni-Kiko), ‘yun ang kinakampanya ni VP Leni, ‘yan ang kanyang piniling partner at ‘yan ang ipaglalaban namin hanggang sa kadulo-duluhan pero that (being) said, ‘di ba realidad naman talaga ng kampanya sa Pilipinas na dahil hindi tayo bumoboto ng tandem (All the way, until the end, we’ll push for that, that’s what VP Leni is campaigning for, that’s the partnership she has chose and the one we’ll fight for until the end but that being said, isn’t that a reality in Philippine political campaigns since we don’t vote by tandems?),” Gutierrez told Teleradyo.
“Hindi talaga tayo bumoboto ng tandem. Ang botante, malayang pumili ng hiwalay na bise presidente at presidente, talagang nangyayari ‘yan tuwing eleksyon (We really don’t vote by tandems. Voters are free to choose their president and vice presidential candidates separately, that really happens every election),” he added.
Robredo’s running mate Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan last Monday said some politicians are trying to undermine his and Robredo’s “People’s Campaign” in pushing for hybrid or cross-party pairings for the May 9 elections.
Albay Rep. Joey Salceda and his group early this month announced support for a Leni Robredo-Sara Duterte-Carpio tandem, or “Ro-Sa.” Salceda, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, and Zamboanga City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco launched their “Ro-Sa” campaign in CDO.
Presidential daughter Duterte-Carpio is the running mate of Robredo’s biggest rival and political nemesis, former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Gutierrez, a former Akbayan party-list lawmaker, said their camp are not taking it against those who are pushing for cross-party tandems like Ro-Sa.
“So kami naman, so long as merong declaration of support for one of the candidates, hindi namin minamasama. Nagpapasalamat kami doon sa taong nag-eendorso, pero kinaklaro namin lagi. Kung meron kayong tandem na tinutulak na hindi Leni-Kiko, sa inyo ‘yan. Pero kung susuporta kayo sa isa sa mga kandidato namin, salamat (For us, so long as there’s a declaration of support for one of the candidates, we don’t take it against them. We are grateful to those who endorse while always making it clear that if they’re campaigning for a tandem that is not Leni-Kiko, ‘it’s up to you’ but if you will support one of our candidates, thank you),” he said.
GAINING MOMENTUM
Gutierrez also said the recent endorsements of local politicians are proof that Robredo’s campaign is fast gaining momentum with more than 40 days left before Election Day.
“This is further proof of the tremendous momentum her candidacy has gained, owing to the strength of the People’s Campaign that has shown up to stand with her,” he said.
National Unity Party president Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Cavite threw his support behind Robredo’s presidential bid last weekend even if his party is backing Marcos Jr.
While Barzaga’s wife and Dasmariñas City Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga, and Cavite 3rd District Rep. Alex Advincula were one with the lawmaker, his son Councilor Kiko Barzaga remains a Marcos supporter.
Before Barzaga’s endorsement, Misamis Oriental Rep. Juliette Uy, who is also with the NUP, and the whole “Team Unity” refused to toe the party line and also endorsed Robredo.
‘BEHIND ENEMY LINES’
Robredo and Pangilinan continued to barnstorm the islands of Samar and Leyte, which is the bailiwick of the Romualdez family headed by House majority leader Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, a first cousin of Marcos Jr.
They continued their three-day visit to Samar and Leyte, meeting key leaders, holding dialogues with sectoral groups, and speaking at rallies where even strong rains failed to dampen the spirits of thousands of supporters.
The tandem and some members of their “Tropang Angat” senatorial slate ended their campaign rally in Catarman, Northern Samar on Monday night by raising hands with local officials of the province, which Robredo declared is the real “Solid North.”
“Ang tunay na Solid North ay ang Solid Northern Samar! (The real Solid North is the Solid Northern Samar!” she said after winning the endorsement of Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan and several town mayors.
Earlier that day, Robredo attended rallies in Calbayog and Catbalogan.
Yesterday, in a rally at the Boy Scout Monument in Palo, the Vice President told her “Pinktados” supporters that seeing them is like “seeing hope in the flesh.”
“Ganito pala ang hitsura ng pag-asa (So this is what hope looks like),” she said as the crowd chanted “Hindi kami bayad (we’re not paid) to the drumbeat of the province’s Pintados festival.
Robredo reminded the public that while she lost to Marcos in the province in 2016 vice presidential election, Eastern Visayas was not left behind in her projects and programs, particularly after calamities such as earthquakes and typhoons “because we don’t look at (political) colors.”
