Senator Joel Villanueva is not surprised that opposition coalition 1Sambayan picked Vice President Leni Robredo as its candidate for the 2022 presidential race.
"Vice President Leni is the obvious choice for opposition candidate. Respetado, masipag at may malasakit po si VP Leni, kita naman natin ngayong pandemic (VP Leni is respectable, hardworking and compassionate, as have we seen during the pandemic)," Villanueva said in statement.
Robredo has yet to accept 1Sambayan's nomination even though she welcomed the endorsement.
Instead, she asked Filipinos to pray that her decision "will be what is best four our country."
Meanwhile, Villanueva believed that Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon would be a fitting candidate for vice president next year, and that Robredo should consider choosing the veteran statesman as her running mate.
"As for her choice of if she decides to run for President, one element she can consider was the result of the previous senatorial elections, our Minority Leader Sen. Frank Drilon," Villanueva opined.
"He is our 2016 senatorial elections topnotcher with more than 18 million votes garnered -- highly competent, unblemished track record, magaling at masipag (brilliant and hardworking)," he added.
Before the Senate adjourned plenary sessions last Wednesday, September 29, Drilon was teased by his colleagues about running in the 2022 elections.
"He should , he's very qualified," Senator Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara said.
"For the record, we're still trying to have Sen. Drilon change his mind," Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, who is Drilon's party mate in the Liberal Party, quipped.
Drilon, who is still eligible for reelection, previously said that he would retire from politics, saying he has been in government long enough and that he wants to "give others a chance".
"I'm not running for any position, I have served enough, I think I have contributed. Let's give others a chance," Drilon told his colleagues.
Filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) before the Commission on Elections are ongoing until October 8.