Presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo ruled out the possibility of dropping reelectionist Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri from her senatorial slate because he is part of her close rival former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Uniteam ticket.
Robredo, the lone female presidential candidate in this year’s elections, said Zubiri will no longer be replaced by Makabayan party senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares.
She shot down claims that Colmenares will take Zubiri’s slot in her 12-man senatorial line-up in a media interview after the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) presidential debate on Saturday night, March 19.
“Puno na kami. Meron kaming seven na candidates saka 'yung (We are already full. We have seven candidates and) the rest of the slate, guest candidates. Walang gagalawin doon (We will not move anyone from it),” she said.
The Vice President, who is running as independent candidate, explained the selection process of the Senate bets in her slate was thoroughly done considering the possible scenarios.
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“Yung sa akin matagal na debate at diskusyon na 'yung ginawa bago namin in-announce 'yung dose. So 'yung lahat na considerations napag-usapan na (For me, there was a long debate and discussion before we announced the 12. So all the considerations were discussed),” she said.
Zubiri is one of the adopted senatorial candidates in the team of Robredo and her running mate Sen. Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan. The others are former Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sorsogon Gov. Francis 'Chiz' Escudero, reelectionist Senators Joel Villanueva and Richard Gordon.
The Leni-Kiko senatorial slate also includes former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., incumbent Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros, human rights lawyer Manuel 'Chel' Diokno, labor leader Sonny Matula, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, and book author Alex Lacson.
In late January, the progressive Makabayan bloc endorsed the Leni-Kiko tandem, although Colmenares is not officially part of their senatorial line-up. He promised to deliver three million votes for them.
Colmenares, who chairs Bayan Muna, is included instead in the slate of opposition coalition 1Sambayan which has a strong link between the two parties.