Vice President Leni Robredo has appealed to Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso and Senator Manny Pacquiao to keep their communication lines open for the sake of their ongoing unity talks.
This, despite both of them announcing their respective presidential bids earlier this week.
"Pareho yung message ko actually sa kanila. Sa akin umaasa ako na bukas pa rin sila, na despite the declaration, sana wag nila isara yung lines of communication (I have the same message for them actually. I'm still hoping that they're open, that despite their declaration, they won't close their lines of communication)," Robredo, said in an interview Friday, Sept. 24 with Ateneo Level Up of Radyo Katipunan.
Clearly, the statement shows that the Vice President is still not giving up on a united opposition slate in the May 2022 national elections. Time is also running out fast, since polls aspirants will begin filing their certificates of candidacy (COCs) on Oct. 1.
"I can support both Mayor Isko and Senator Manny pag yun yung makakabuti sa bansa (if that will be beneficial to the country)," Robredo said of her fellow administration critics.
"Kung may fear man na papagawin sila yung bagay na ayaw nila, hindi naman yun. Pakiusap ko lang naman na kung pwede lang pag-usapan how best to move forward na with the interest of the country na yun yung pinaka-primordial sa lahat (If they fear that they will be made to do something they don't want, that won't be the case. My only appeal is for us to discuss how best to move forward with the interest of the country as the primordial concern)," she further assured the two.
The argument for coming up with a so-called "unity slate" is that a common presidential and vice presidential candidate for the opposition would supposedly give it a better chance of beating the Duterte administration and its perceived allies in the polls.
Although Robredo herself is being egged on by several sectors to run for the presidency, she has said many times that her priority is forming the unity slate.
But the clock is ticking.
At any rate, she bared that Domagoso and Pacquiao are still reaching out to her, and vice versa.
"Lately nakakapag-usap pa rin kami, pa-minsan hindi kami, yung mga teams namin. I can work with both of them, alam nila yun. Kaming tatlo, at least from my point of view, wala akong problema sa kanilang dalawa (We've been able to talk lately, sometimes it's our teams that are talking. They know that I can work with both of them. At least from my point of view, I have no problems with them)," Robredo.