IM Pilipinas clarified on Tuesday, April 12, that it will continue to support the presidential bid of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso until May 9.
This after a faction led by Tim Orbos and Elmer Argaño officially announced that they were shifting support to Vice President Leni Robredo.
In a press conference, IM Pilipinas Secretary General Philip Piccio maintained that the organization will remain “solid and firm in pushing for the pro-people programs of Domagoso”.
“We are maintaining what we have started ever since the day that Yorme Isko has decided to file his candidacy for president. We are still going strong as our members continue to grow in all regions of the country,” Piccio said.
“We are intact. Originally, and until today, 98-99 percent are staying with Yorme Isko Moreno,” said Piccio.
Piccio said other members asked him if he would want the group to join the faction of Orbos and Argano in supporting Robredo, but he declined.
“Yes they did. They asked us if we wanted to. They asked me, and I said ‘no’. We had a discussion that they believe that Isko, sabi nila hindi na mananalo (they will not win), and they would like to do that,” he said.
“But I would stay all the way to the end, and so as the other IM Pilipinas members — we’ll stay whether Isko will win or lose,” Piccio assured.
The group also clarified that they were not against Robredo or former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. but are just “simply supporting Domagoso.” Piccio, meanwhile, called on the IM Pilipinas faction that switched to Robredo to stop using the group’s logo.
“Ikaw Muna Pilipinas is different from Ikaw Muna Kandidato... Obviously, they’re not from IM Pilipinas pero dinadala pa nila ang logo ng (but they are carrying the logo of) IM Pilipinas,” he stressed.
Domagoso had earlier dismissed the shifting of the said faction, saying it did not affect his campaign in any way.
“Nothing... Wala sila dati sa buhay ko (they are not in my life before). Life must go on,” he said.
“I wish them good luck. It’s a test of character.”