Vice President Leni Robredo is very close to making her decision on whether or not to run for the presidency in the May 2022 polls, her spokesman said on Wednesday, Sept. 1.
“Nagpapasalamat si VP Leni sa lahat ng mga nagpahayag ng kanilang tiwala at suporta. Kasama sa kanyang proseso ng pagdedesisyon ang pakikinig sa mga panawagang ito (VP Leni is thankful to all those who expressed their support. Listening to these calls is part of her decision-making process),” lawyer Barry Gutierrez said.
“Malapit na tayo sa panahong tinukoy niya para sa pagpapahayag ng kanyang desisyon (We are near the time when she says she will make public her decision),” he stressed.
The Vice President earlier stated that she’s giving herself until Oct. 8--the last day of the filing of the certificate of candidacy (COC) set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for all elective positions in the 2022 national polls--to decide.
READ: When will Robredo announce her 2022 plans? By late September, she says
She had repeatedly said there are a lot of things she needs to consider in the run-up to the COC filing and that until then, she intends to focus on her office’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response programs.
Over the past week, hundreds of different volunteer groups were launched to express their support for Robredo’s possible presidential bid. Some of these groups are Lawyers for Leni, Health Workers for Leni, LGBTQIA+ for Leni, Teachers for Leni, BPO Employees for Leni, OFWs for Leni, Church Workers for Leni, and various regional-based groups.
More than 200 volunteer groups signed a manifesto calling on the Vice President to seek the country’s highest post.
READ: Robredo's possible bid for president backed by 200 volunteer groups
Former Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno and election lawyer Romulo Macalintal--the latter two of which ran as senators under Robredo’s Liberal Party (LP) in 2019--also joined the call for the Vice President to run.
Her dismal numbers in the presidential preference survey released by independent groups did not daunt the volunteer groups as they said they’re willing to campaign for Robredo.
Robredo, 56, has consistently lagged behind other possible presidential candidates such as presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, and Senators Grace Poe and Manny Pacquiao.