By LLANESCA T. PANTI, GMA Integrated News
Former Vice President Leni Robredo has endorsed the senatorial bids of former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos and former Senator Manny Pacquiao.
Abalos and Pacquiao belong to the administration slate of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., whom Robredo faced in the 2022 presidential race.
Robredo said Abalos, her longtime friend, paid her a visit because it was her 60thbirthday.
“Siya ay aking kaibigan, naging mayor ng Mandaluyong ng matagal na panahon, magaling na DILG secretary at naging MMDA chairman, ngayon tumatakbo siyang senator. Tutulungan natin siya dahil matagal na siyang tumutulong sa atin sa Naga, lalo na nung Bagyong Kristine,” Robredo said during an event in Naga City during her birthday, which was attended by Abalos.
(He is my friend who has been a mayor, DILG secretary, and MMDA chairman and is now running for senator. We will help him because he has been helping Naga for the longest time, especially during Typhoon Kristine.)
“Sigurado ako na kapag naging senador siya tutulungan niya tayo, kaya tutulungan natin siya,” said Robredo, who isrunning for Naga city mayor.
(I am sure that if he becomes a senator, he will help us, so we will help him.)
In a separate statement, Pacquiao quoted Robredo as saying, “We will always be behind Manny Pacquiao."
Likewise, Pacquiao also quoted Robredo as saying how he helped Naga even if they were 2022 presidential race rivals.
Robredo earlier endorsed the Senate bids of her longtime allies former Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino.
Pangilinan served as Robredo’s running mate during the 2022 polls, prompting Pangilinan to ditch his scheduled Senate reelection bid when united opposition talks led by Robredo did not pull through.
Aquino, on the other hand, served as Robredo’s campaign manager during the 2022 presidential elections.
When asked for a comment on Robredo’s endorsement of other senatorial candidates, Pangilinan said in a statement: “That’s her prerogative. What’s important is VP Leni has been helping us ever since.”
Meanwhile, ML Partylist first nominee Leila de Lima, who is also being supported by Robredo, said that there could be a reason behind her ally’s endorsement of candidates outside of the opposition.
“Alam naming marami ang nagtatanong at nalilito sa desisyon ni VP Leni na i-endorse sina Manny Pacquiao at Benhur Abalos—mga kandidatong hindi kabilang sa hanay ng oposisyon, at bahagi ng slate ni Pangulong Marcos. Malamang po, may pinanggagalingan ang desisyong iyon,” De Lima said in a statement.
(We know that many have questioned and are confused with VP Leni's decision to endorse Manny Pacquiao and Benhur Abalos—candidates who are not from the opposition, and are part of President Marcos' slate. For sure, there’s a reason behind that decision.)
De Lima also said that she still believed in Robredo, adding that the former vice president had always been inclusive.
“Ang sa amin po: buo ang tiwala namin sa kanya. Sa bawat yugto ng kanyang serbisyo, pinatunayan na ni VP Leni na ang kanyang pamumuno ay bukas, inklusibo, at laging nakatuon sa kapakanan ng mas nakararami—kahit pa hindi ito laging popular o madaling ipaliwanag,” she added.
(For us, we have complete confidence in her. At every stage of her service, VP Leni has proven that her leadership is open, inclusive, and always focused on the welfare of the majority—even if it is not always popular or easy to explain.) —with Vince Angelo Ferreras/VAL/VBL/NB, GMA Integrated News
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