Former officials, members, volunteers, and youth organizers of presidential candidate Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno Domagoso’s Aksyon Demokratiko party on Tuesday, April 19, expressed their “profound disappointment” over his statement at a recent joint press conference with other presidential bets where he called for Vice President Leni Robredo's withdrawal from the presidential derby.
In a statement, former officials and volunteers of Aksyon Demokratiko party said Domagoso’s call for Robredo's withdrawal was "uncalled for."
“While their resolve to continue their respective presidential bid against all odds is commendable, we believe that Moreno’s call on Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw is uncalled for and even detrimental to their goal of uniting our people towards a clean and fair elections," the statement read.
“It was clear that Moreno saw the press conference as an opportunity to retaliate against initial calls by Robredo’s supporters for him to withdraw, which he refers to as a “social injustice’,” it added.
In a joint press conference on Sunday, April 17, Domagoso had asked Robredo to "make the supreme sacrifice" and "withdraw" from the presidential race.
The former official also said the recent actions "reinforce" their view that Robredo is the "only candidate with the integrity, composure, and expertise” to become the country’s next president.
“We initially believed it was Isko Moreno who could deliver effective and decisive action and bring about a new kind of politics in our country,” the statement added.
“That vision of ours for the country has never changed — Mayor Isko Moreno, however, has already fallen far from what he thought he was.... Now, more than ever, the leader we want and need is Leni Robredo,” it said.
The statement had the names of Kaye Ann Legaspi, Aksyon Demokratiko vice president for youth; John Erdie delos Santos, former Aksyon Demokratiko executive director; Jose Marco Terrado, Isko Tayo Kabataan founding convener; Rewin Eros Maghirang, Isko Tayo Kabataan founding convener; Darren J. Gonzales, Isko Tayo Kabataan founding member; Paul Andrei Roset, Aksyon Demokratiko candidate for city councilor (San Pablo, Laguna; Bryan Ezra Gonzales, former Isko Moreno national campaign editorial volunteer; and Kevin Mandrilla, former Isko Tayo Kabataan member.