There was “no negotiation” in the recent endorsements of political parties and other presidential candidates’ volunteer groups of Vice President Leni Robredo, her spokesman said on Tuesday, April 5, adding that any alliance must be anchored on common principles, values, and vision for the country.
“Let's be clear. There was no negotiation that happened here. The support was actually, well the latest actually came as a surprise. Although, you know, a pleasant surprise,” Robredo’s spokesman Barry Gutierrez said of Ikaw Muna Pilipinas Visayas Chapter’s shift of support to the Vice President.
IM Pilipinas Visayas initially supported Manila Mayor Isko Moreno’s presidential bid.
“There was no prior negotiation. There was no dealing here. There was no kaliwaan na nangyari (transaction that happened). We've been very very clear on that from the start. If support is going to be given to the Vice President's presidential run, and it's freely given, meaning there's no strings, walang kapalit (no exchange), then we will accept it,” he added during an interview on ANC.
Aside from IM Pilipinas Visayas Chapter, Robredo also clinched the endorsement of Partido Reforma of former House Speaker and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.
Gutierrez said the Vice President “has been very very clear, any alliance that should be anchored on a negotiation must be based on common principles, a common value set, a common vision for the country.”
The recent declarations of support for the lone female presidential candidate have been “freely given.”
READ: Robredo gets support of Isko Moreno's Cebu volunteers
The former lawmaker said this shifting of support is a clear manifestation that the momentum is on Robredo’s side.
He added that these recent endorsements are “proof positive and part and parcel of the momentum that has been reflected in the activities on the ground.”
Gutierrez remained positive that by May 9, Robredo will have enough numbers to win.
He also rejected fears that the Vice President’s massive rallies might not translate to actual votes on Election Day, adding that people who voluntarily came and spent their own money are “a level of investment, that's a level of buy-in into a campaign that I think is unprecedented in any of the political campaigns that I have seen and that will certainly be reflected in the outcome of the May 9 elections.”
While Robredo’s camp doesn’t believe in bussing people to their grand rallies, which have drawn tens of thousands of kakampinks, Gutierrez said that what happened in the massive turnout of supporters wherever the Vice President goes is organic.
“So, this is not a case of 40,000 people flying everywhere. This is a case of people wherever the Vice President’s going, showing their support, coming out to show that support physically, and actually doing much more than just going to rallies,” he added.