Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo said her camp has always been open to talking with other groups, whether those that share the same principles or those opposed to values she represents, in response to Lakas ng Masa (PLM) presidential aspirant Leody De Guzman saying that he’s open to supporting her presidential bid if she will make a stand on various people’s issues.
The opposition leader stressed that they have never stopped talking with other groups, whether or not these groups share the same beliefs and values, in an “attempt” to find “commonalities.”
“Hindi kami huminto sa pakikipag-usap sa napakaraming grupo (We didn’t stop from talking with many groups), in fact everyday ‘yun yung ginagawa namin kahit nung hindi pa ako kandidato hanggang ngayon (that’s what we have been doing even when I wasn’t a candidate yet),” she said in a media briefing on Friday, Dec. 10.
“Parati ko naman itong inuulit na (I am always repeating this that) despite the differences, siguradong merong mga pagkakapareho sa paniniwala na iyon ‘yung pwedeng pag-ugatan ng aming (that there are commonalities in those beliefs that could be the foundation of our) relationship. So kami tuloy-tuloy lang, bukas kami kahit kanino (we are pressing on, we are open to anyone),” Robredo added.
This remark came after De Guzman said he’s ready to talk and support her presidential bid if she will make a stand on various issues such as contractualization, the low salary of workers, increasing prices of basic goods, and automatic debt appropriation.
READ: Robredo presents 5-point employment plan if she wins the presidency
This effort would’ve been to help defeat the tandem of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
His running mate, Walden Bello, said that they and Robredo are on the “same side but we are not yet on the same page.”
There were efforts to reach out to Robredo’s camp.
But De Guzman, in a separate interview, cleared that this does not mean he will back down from the presidential race.
The unity talks, he added, will be based on principles and on improving the lives of the Filipinos.
In the latest presidential preference surveys, Robredo placed second with 18 percent, a far cry from Marcos’ 47 percent.