Lacson: Robredo 'to win' presidency if good heart is sole criterion but...

Vice President Leni Robredo would win the presidency if the goodness of heart is sole criterion, however, the country’s top leader should be tough as well, Senator Panfilo Lacson said Monday.

“In my book, if the goodness of the heart is single criterion to elect a president, I think she’s in it to win it. But we all know na hindi naman pwedeng busilak lang ang puso ng uupo, kailangan may toughness at iba pang qualities,” Lacson said in an ANC interview.

(But we all know that a leader should not only have a good heart but should be tough as well, among other qualities.)

The senator mentioned this as he wished Robredo “all the best of luck” after she was named as one of the nominees of opposition coalition 1Sambayan for president and vice president in the 2022 elections.

He clarified that it was his personal opinion and he was not campaigning for Robredo.

“She’s a very decent person. Alam natin ang ginagawa niya is to help (What she is doing is to help). I’m not campaigning for her, this is just my personal opinion,” he said.

In response, Quezon City Representative Christopher "Kit" Belmonte, an ally of Robredo, said the Vice President is "way, way tougher than she's portrayed."

"It takes toughness to be a human rights lawyer at bumiyahe sa mga liblib na lugar para makatulong (and go to remote places to help the people). It takes toughness to enter congressional politics and win against a dynasty. It took toughness to run and win against Bongbong Marcos," he said.

"Inappoint siya bilang (She was appointed as) Drug Czar— she was so tough on drugs that even the admin had to fold and take her out. She sits as the only woman sa mga meetings na puno ng mga (in meetings full of) macho military men," he added.

Belmonte, Liberal Party secretary general, pointed out that Robredo's toughness should not be discounted.

"Hindi laging kailangan pa-macho para maging tunay na (One does not need to be macho to prove that he or she is) strong," the lawmaker said.

Lacson earlier said he is still processing his plans for 2022. However, if ever he decides to seek the presidency, it is already “cast in stone” that Senate President Vicente Sotto III will be his running mate.

Sotto, in a press statement, said an excellent track record and political experience are among the yardstick that the voting population should use when choosing the country’s top two leaders in next year’s elections.

He said running the country is not a learning experience and those who would vie for the presidency and vice presidency must have a program on how to address the country’s crucial problems.—with Anna Felicia Bajo/AOL, GMA News