Nobody triggers Vice President Leni Robredo like former Senator Bongbong Marcos.
This was evident during Robredo's interview Friday afternoon, Sept. 24 with Ateneo Level Up of Radyo Katipunan, where the name of her potential 2022 poll rival was brought up.
Ealier that day, the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) party endorsed Marcos--son of the late strongman President Ferdinand Marcos--as its presidential candidate in next year’s national elections.
Robredo, the Liberal Party (LP) chairman and de facto opposition leader, has yet to make a decision on her election plans although several sector are urging her to join the Palace race.
When the program host asked the lady official if she had any message for Marcos, she simply said: "Wala akong mensahe sa kanya eh (I don't have any message for him."
Robredo went on to assail Marcos, whom she beat for her current post in a memorably close contest back in 2016.
"Yung propensity na magsinugaling, tingin ko hindi na yun maaalis sa kaya, so hindi ko na siya mapapakiusapan (I think we will never get rid of his propensity to lie, so I won't be able to appeal to him anymore)," she said.
Robredo called out Marcos for his supposed historial revisionism regarding his father's 20-year presidency, which included a dark period of martial law.
"Alam natin kung gaano niya nirerevise yung history at marami siyang taong napapapaniwala. Kasalanan niya yun doon sa mga taong napapapaniwala niya...Kung gagawa ka ng kasinungalingan, sino yung biktima mo? Yung biktima mo yung naniwala sayo (I know how much he revises history and he fools a lot of people. That's his sin to those he has tricked. Wherever you lie, who becomes the victim? It's those who believe you)," she said.
Robredo in the same interview shared the factors that might affect her decision-making process ahead of the May 2022 elections. Marcos is one of them.
"Kung makakabuti ba para sa bayan na magkandidato ako, yun yung path na susundin natin. Pero kung sa pagkakandidato ko lalo lang na naging madali para kay Bongbong Marcos yung makabalik, eh bakit naman ako magkakandidato (If it will be beneficial for the country for me to be an candidate, that's the path I will take. But if my candidacy will make it easier for Bongbong Marcos to return to power, then why would I do that)," she said.
Robredo has been holding off on her decision in hopes of forming a "unity slate" with fellow Duterte administration critics Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso. The latter two have already declared their intention to run for president next year.
The Vice President has met with Pacquiao and Domagoso separately. She bared in the interview that the "Marcos issue" was among the key points of her talk with them.
Robredo said the effort to form a united slate against the administration is still alive.