VICE President Leni Robredo discussed her chances of winning the presidential race next year, saying her poor showing in surveys is the primary reason she is taking long in deciding on whether to run for the country’s highest position.
“Number one is viability. Viability. My numbers … are low so tinitignan natin iyong maraming bagay (My numbers … are low so we’re looking at a lot of things),” the leader of the opposition told ANC on Tuesday night.
Robredo said she is monitoring all surveys, holding consultations with various sectors, and taking into account all political developments before making a final decision.
The Vice President said has to know if if it would be better for country if she opts out of the presidential race and just support another candidate who will have a better chance of beating the administration’s bet.
“Iyong sa akin, it’s not a matter of gusto ko bang mag-presidente o hindi pero ano ba ang makakabuti para sa bayan? Makakabuti ba na ako iyong tumakbo? O makakabuti ba na iba iyong tumakbo, susuporta na lang ako? (To me, it’s not a matter of whether I want to be president or not but what will be the best for the country. Will it be better if I’ll run or if I’ll just support another candidate?)” she said.
The latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from June 7 to 16 showed Robredo at sixth place among possible presidential candidates next year, with only six percent, followed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson who got four percent.
The same survey showed presidential daughter Mayor Sara Duterte topping the list with 28 percent, followed by Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with 14 percent which was almost tied with former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s 13 percent.
Ten percent of the respondents preferred Sen. Grace Poe to be their president while eight percent are for Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
Robredo said she has to know all the implications of joining the presidential race despite her low numbers in surveys, so she will understand how it will affect the overall outcome of the elections.
Robredo said she also started low when she ran for vice president in 2016, drawing as low as one percent in surveys at the beginning but the government machinery helped in improving her standing during the campaign since she is an administration candidate then.
“So the infrastructure was there and because I was not running for president, parang hindi ko pinroblema iyong resources (it’s like resources wasn’t a problem) because the party was there. And you know the state of our party now, wala naman akong (I don’t have the) resources to launch a decent presidential campaign. So para sa akin, before I make that decision, gusto ko handa ako (I want to be well-prepared),” she said.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said he and Lacson will offer the electorate three main points — “kakayahan (capability),” “katapatan (integrity),” and “katapangan (courage) or “3Ks.”
Sotto confirmed reports he and Lacson have decided to team up for the 2022 elections, with Lacson as presidential candidate.
An official announcement will be made on August 4, he said.
Sotto said he and Lacson combined have more than 80 years experience in government and no other candidate or tandem can surpass their experience.
“We are capable. The integrity speaks for itself. Pag pinagsama mo ang 83 years na combined experience namin sa government, you will find it hard to find a tandem with that kind of experience. Katapangan? We are only afraid of our wives,” Sotto said.
Sotto said they are also not bothered by recent opinion polls showing the presidential daughter and President Duterte the leading possible presidential and vice presidential bets in 2022.
“Surveys that we are getting right now are not reflective of what would happen in the second week of May next year. Tingnan muna nila ang mga programa at plataporma. Do not rely on personalities alone, dapat may program of government din,” Sotto said.
Sotto said he and Lacson were able to get the initial feel of the electorate during their recent Luzon tour, when discussions were held with local officials, the business and religious sector, and private individuals in Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, La Union, the Ilocos provinces and Nueva Vizcaya.
“The feedback that we got is that there are issues they feel the government have failed to touch,” he said.
Meanwhile, detained opposition Sen. Leila de Lima said she will seek re-election as her “unjust detention” by the Duterte administration did not diminish her determination to serve the country and push for her advocacies.
In a statement, De Lima lambasted Duterte over his unfulfilled promises saying the country should have had enough of his abuses.
De Lima has been detained at the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame since February 2017, for drug-related charges, which she has repeatedly denied.
De Lima previously said she has gotten the ire of Duterte even before he become president when she investigated killings in Davao City when she was the chair of the Commission on Human Rights and the latter was city mayor.
Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon said De Lima’s re-election bid a “fight for truth and justice.”
He also said De Lima never failed to do her duties and functions as a senator despite her detention.
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said he is not entertaining calls for him to run as senator because he does not want people to think that he has been working double time to gain political mileage.
He said he wants to rest after his stint as PNP chief. Eleazar reaches the mandatory retirement age in November.
Asked during an interview with ANC if there is a chance he will change his mind, he said, “I don’t want to entertain these things basta ganito na lang, ang taas ng expectation niyo sa PNP particularly sa akin so hayaan niyong mag-trabaho ako. Huwag niyong pong kulayan yung ating ginagawa na pagta trabaho dahil yun ako eh, dati pa yan (I don’t want to entertain these things. Just let me do my job [as PNP chief] because I know that the people’s expectations are high, especially from me. Don’t add color to the things that I am doing because I have been this way ever since),” he added.
A former PNP chief of President Duterte, Ronald dela Rosa, is now a senator. — With Ashzel Hachero and Raymond Africa
