Vice-presidential candidate Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said on Wednesday, March 30, that the supporters of Team Robredo-Pangilinan, also known as TROPA, should protect Vice President Leni Robredo by rejecting moves of political operators to pair her with other vice-presidential bets.
"Gawin na rin pong Youth for Leni at Kiko sana. Baka mayroon pang isingit na iba (I hope let us make it Youth for Leni and Kiko. Others could be inserted)," Pangilinan said.
"Kailangang protektahan natin si (We have to protect) Vice President Leni. Pag iba nanalo dyan, baka planuhin at gumawa nang hindi maganda, hindi ba (If others win, they could plan and do something bad, right?),” he warned.
The senator made the call before the 1,500-strong crowd who attended the Maasin City People's Rally held in Southern Leyte on Wednesday.
This was the third and last day of the Robredo-Pangilinan’s campaign sortie in Eastern Visayas. They barnstormed together Calbayog, Catbalogan, and Catarman in Northern Samar.
The tandem also campaigned in Palo and Ormoc City, Leyte, and Naval in Biliran. From Maasin, the two candidates visited Sogod town for a dialogue with a fisherfolk community.
READ: Pangilinan insists on ‘people’s choice’ of Leni-Kiko tandem; nixes 'mixed' ticket
Pangilinan, however, was nowhere to be seen at the grand rally in Borongan City on Tuesday night after local leaders there only want to endorse Robredo.
This is not the first time local officials endorsed Robredo and not Pangilinan. Zamboanga City Mayor Beng Climaco also endorsed Robredo alone while Pangilinan was on stage.
Climaco, along with congressmen Rufus Rodriguez and Joey Salceda, launched the pairing of Robredo with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte called the RoSa (Robredo-Sara) movement that has been gaining ground especially in Mindanao.
Some politicians have pushed for RoSa, the latest of which are the local officials and candidates in Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Sur, and Cavite.
Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, who recently dropped Senator Panfilo Lacson and switched allegiance to Robredo, said his Partido Reporma is supporting Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III’s vice presidential bid.