With only 20 days before the campaign season ends, Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday, April 17, reminded her supporters to focus on the campaign and not get distracted by the mudslinging of other presidential bets.
“Alam kong maraming nasabi na ngayong araw. Ang iba nainis, ang iba walang pakialam, at ang iba nagalit. Nagpapasalamat ako sa lahat na dumipensa (I know a lot has been said today. Others got annoyed, others do not care, and others got angry. I thank all those who defended),” she said on Facebook after greeting her followers a “blessed Easter.”
The Vice President, however, reminded her supporters or kakampinks to focus on the campaign since there are only 20 days left.
“Kailangan wag tayong magpatalo sa emosyon. Huwag nang magbitaw ng masasakit na salita. Focus lang muna tayo sa kampanya - tao sa tao, puso sa puso. May bayan tayong kailangan ipaglaban (We cannot be ruled by emotion. Don’t say hurtful words. Let’s focus on the campaign first—person to person, heart to heart. There’s a country we need to fight for),” Robredo wrote with a Philippine flag emoji.
Robredo was referring to the joint presser held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City by Senator Panfilo Lacson, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, and former Defense chief Norberto Gonzales.
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Senator Manny Pacquiao and former Palace spokesman Ernesto Abella were also reportedly supposed to attend but were not able to join the press conference.
Moreno, Lacson, and Gonzales alleged that someone from Robredo’s camp asked them to withdraw from the race and even offered to pay them to campaign for the Vice President.
This was already denied by Robredo’s camp in the past, saying that they have not authorized anyone to reach out to other presidential candidates.
During the press conference, Moreno also asked Robredo to withdraw, which was clarified later by Lacson as something only supported by the Manila mayor.
READ: Lacson, Sotto clarifies: 'We are not asking anybody to withdraw'
Moreno is a consistent third choice bet in presidential preference surveys.
Robredo is a far second to survey frontrunner former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who got 52 percent in the latest Truth Watch Philippines, Inc. survey.
Robredo placed second with 30 percent while Moreno had 10 percent, Pacquiao with four percent, and Lacson with two percent.