The camp of Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday, April 17, denounced the joint press conference of other presidential candidates Senator Panfilo Lacson, Manila Mayor Francisco 'Isko Moreno' Domagoso, and former Defense chief Norberto Gonzales, calling it mere “theatrics.”
While Robredo’s spokesman Barry Gutierrez wished the other candidates the “best,” he called out their media briefing for its “falsehood.”
“But in making these choices, should we not ask ourselves: Must this assertion be made through bluster and falsehood? Who benefits from such theatrics? What is best for the Filipino people?,” the former lawmaker said.
“Perhaps, silence would have had more depth; at the very least, it would exhibit less self-entitlement, fragility, and toxicity,” he added.
The spokesperson stressed that with the statements of Robredo’s rivals, “alignments have been made even clear.”
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“And we remain focused on showing our people that a Robredo presidency will mean a victory for all Filipinos,” he said.
He added that the “People’s Campaign” is already at a “great momentum” and the press conference made clear “which candidates can count on the people's support when they enter voting booths on May 9.”
“From the start, it has been the prerogative of every candidate to continue till the end, the same as it is the choice of a candidate to disregard surveys, rally attendance, endorsements, or any other conventional measure of support. We wish every candidate who decides to push through to the end, only the best,” Gutierrez said.
Lacson, Moreno, and Gonzales held a press conference on Sunday, April 17, to announce that they are not withdrawing from the race and also to criticize Robredo for supposedly asking them to withdraw.
READ: Lacson: None of us are withdrawing our presidential bids
Lacson and Gonzales even alleged that they were offered money in exchange to withdrawing and campaigning for Robredo.
Gutierrez already earlier denied that Robredo’s camp made attempts to ask any presidential candidate to withdraw.
Moreno, for his part, asked the Vice President, a perennial second-placer to former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in presidential preference surveys, to back out from the race.
READ: Mayor Isko asks VP Leni to withdraw from presidential race and instead — 'come and join us'
Survey results showed Moreno is a third-choice candidate trailing behind Marcos and Robredo.
In a survey conducted by Truth Watch Philippines, Inc., Robredo placed second with 30 percent and Marcos with 52 percent.
Moreno had 10 percent, Pacquiao with four percent, and Lacson with two percent.