Ex-SolGen Hilbay quits Aksyon Demokratiko to support Robredo

Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay on Monday announced his resignation from Aksyon Demokratiko to support the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo in 2022.

"I am leaving Aksyon not to join another party, but out of ethical considerations," Hilbay said in a Facebook post.

Aksyon Demokratiko is fielding Manila Mayor Isko Moreno as its presidential bet in the 2022 elections.

However, according to Hilbay, he believes that Robredo "is a much better candidate in this most crucial elections."

"Because I intend, as an ordinary citizen, to publicly support her campaign, I must resign from the only political party I have ever joined," said Hilbay, who ran for senator under Aksyon Demokratiko in the 2019 midterm elections.

'Good representation'

Ernest Ramel, the party's chairperson, said Hilbay "was a good representation of Aksyon Demokratiko in the senatorial race of 2019."

Reacting to Hilbay's decision to leave the party, Ramel said, "While Aksyon may have lost a good member in the former solicitor-general, we gained thousands of members that will contest the 2022 elections belonging to different and bigger political parties."

"In fact, we continue to get more queries and applications from other candidates even after the filing of certificate of candidacies had lapsed," he said.

Hilbay served as solicitor general under the administration of the late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

In his Facebook post, Hilbay said he chose Robredo "because she has been more presidential than the current one."

"We need a president who will show up, level with the people, and treat them not as objects to be subjugated but as fellow citizens and stakeholders in nation-building," he said.  —KBK, GMA News