ONLINE petitions discouraging Vice President Leni Robredo from running for president in the 2022 national elections have been gaining ground, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has said.
Panelo, in his “Counterpoint” program which aired on Saturday, said the “We Don’t like Leni as President” petition uploaded on Change.Org has already generated 67,667 online signatures, or about 90 percent of its targeted 75,000 signatures.
The petition, with the descriptions “Leni, maghunos dili ka” and the “I am ready for Leni to retire from politics” was uploaded on February 3 by a group called “Leni to Retire.”
A similar petition, with the title “We Don’t Like Leni as President,” was uploaded by the “Filipino Today” group on February 4. It has gained 173 of its targeted 200 signatures.
Panelo said the petitions were in response to an online signature campaign by the “I Am Ready for Leni” group urging the Vice President to join the presidential elections in 2022.
In the Change.Org website, the pro-Robredo group said it was their “deepest desire to see the Philippines back on its way to being one of the most economically progressive, politically transparent, humane and respected countries in Asia. We believe that Vice President Leni Robredo can lead us to this goal by leading the country as the next duly-elected President in 2022.”
As of 5:30 pm of February 14, the petition has 41,766 supporters, or about 83 percent of its targeted 50,000 signatures. It was uploaded on January 31.
Robredo has set aside the appeal of her supporters, insisting that government leaders should first focus on helping the nation get back on its feet following the unexpected social, health and economic impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-2019) pandemic to the country.
