FOUR former senators and 12 other former government officials and business executives have endorsed the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo, saying she “champions only truth and facts while others hide behind lies, excuses and denials.”
The group led by former senators Rodolfo Biazon, Ramon Magsaysay Jr., Sergio Osmeña III, and Wigberto Tañada quoted the late foreign affairs secretary Roberto “Bobby” Romulo as saying the opposition’s presidential candidate is “the leader that our country urgently needs.”
“Like him, we commit to supporting VP Leni in her quest to restore equity, prosperity and dignity to our people and to forever remove the label ‘sick man of Asia’ and laughingstock in order to restore a country we can all be proud of,” they said, urging the public to support the Robredo.
The group said Robredo is the “most qualified and trustworthy presidential candidate who has the political will to rebuild our sordid past, engender hope and inspiration among our people regardless of social standing, and bring about change that has long eluded us.”
“We deserve a president who is fearless, action-oriented, inclusive and decisive – leadership qualities that VP Leni has successfully demonstrated in the last six years despite the limited resources of her public office and undeserved open hostility from the present administration,” added.
They noted the “timely, efficient and innovative ways with which she implemented her own pandemic response plan.”
They praised Robredo for putting “great premium on transparency, accountability and collaboration” and valuing “community participation and engagement, while others look only after their self-interests to gain unbridled power and influence.”
“We want a president who respects our democratic processes, and will uphold our country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at all times,” they group further said.
The others who signed the manifesto were former Batangas Rep. Tomas Apacible, former deputy speaker Raul Daza, former Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, former Bataan Rep. Felicito Payumo, former Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta, former Agriculture Secretary Senen Bacani, former Commission on Higher Education chief Ester Garcia, former Poro Point Management Corp. director Jose Osias, former Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, former Interior Secretary Cesar Sarino, former Philippine Retirement Authority chairman Luis Sison and former National Development Company director Virgilio Yuzon.
Earlier this month, almost a hundred former senior officials of the Aquino administration led by then interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and budget secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad expressed support for Robredo’s presidential bid, saying she is the best candidate for the country’s top post.
PROJECT AUDIT
Presidential candidate Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the government should run after contractors and project proponents of poorly made roads.
This was after he noticed that some portions of the provincial road from Urdaneta City, Pangasinan to Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija were full of potholes covered with asphalt.
He said this is another classic example of corruption as government should have made a post-audit of the road projects.
Lacson was in Urdaneta City on Sunday afternoon where he talked with transport and drivers’ organizations before heading for Nueva Ecija later that day to talk to farmers.
He said the government can easily identify the contractor and project proponents so they can be held liable.
BARMM SUPPORT
Manila Mayor and Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso was the first among presidential candidates to meet with Murad Ebrahim, interim chief of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), promising him that if elected president, he will continue implementing the government’s historic deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that Murad headed.
A statement issued by Moreno’s camp said the mayor got a virtual endorsement from Murad as referred to Moreno as the “incoming president” during a meeting at the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City.
Murad was also virtually present at an event of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) in Buluan, Maguindanao Sunday when Moreno addressed crowd that his camp estimated to be at 40,000.
The UBJP, which is the political party of the MILF, earlier endorsed the gubernatorial candidacy of Maguindanao Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu. The Mangudadatus are close allies of Moreno although the clan is pushing for an “ISSA” tandem, or Moreno and Sara Duterte-Carpio.
The Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party said it is grateful for the support for Duterte-Carpio but they do not condone attempts to pair her-off with other candidates.
It also said Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. remains as Lakas presidential bet and Duterte-Carpio as vice presidential candidate.
“Lakas-CMD has entered into an alliance with the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) for the May 2022 elections, and we are committed to honor it,” it said.
In the past weeks, several political leaders and organization have aired support for some candidates including Duterte-Carpio.
The ruling but fractured Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) has yet to choose a presidential candidate but has long endorsed the candidacy of the presidential daughter. — With Raymond Africa, Ashzel Hachero, and Jocelyn Montemayor
