Robredo hitches a ride on motorcycle as crowds swell into streets during Cavite rally

GENERAL TRIAS, Cavite - Vice President and presidential bet Leni Robredo rode a motorcycle on her way to a campaign rally in General Trias, Cavite on Friday night since attendees filled the streets.

In a video taken by a Robredo supporter named Ellen, the vice president could be seen wearing a red helmet riding the motorcycle on her way to the venue.

Supporters rushed to have their photos taken with Robredo before she finally made it inside the venue packed with 47,000 supporters according to estimates made by organizers.

A woman identified as Kristine Danica Mariano said in a series of Twitter posts that it was her husband, Sherwin Abdon, who owned the motorcycle and drove Robredo to the venue.

Mariano said Robredo's security detail approached her husband and asked if they could borrow the motorcycle for the vice president to get to the venue. Traffic was by then already at a standstill with people trooping to the rally venue.

"Yung mister ko po, nakatayo lang sa may gilid ng kalsada, medyo malapit sa motor niya. Doon po sa may pagawaan ng sidecar kasi po pina-repair po niya 'yung pang-deliver niya ng videoke. Nandu'n po siya kasi hinihintay po niyang matapos [magawa ang videoke]," Mariano told GMA News Online.

(My husband was just standing by the roadside near his motorcycle. It was parked near a repair shop for sidecars. He was waiting for repairmen to finish repairing a videoke he was supposed to deliver.

"Bigla po lumapit ang mga PSG or mga security po ni VP sa motor at tinanong daw po kung kaninong motor 'yun. Lumapit po ang mister ko at sabi, 'Sa akin po.' Tapos tanong daw po nila, 'Puwede bang mahiram ang motor mo?'" Mariano added.

(The security of the VP approached him and asked who owns the motorcycle. My husband said it was his. Then they asked him if they could borrow it.)

Mariano also said in jest that she never lets any woman ride with her husband on their motorcycle, but it was Robredo who broke her rule.

She said her husband felt honored to have such an encounter with Robredo. Mariano also appealed to others not to attack her husband who just wanted to be of help.

"Kinikilig pa rin po ang mister ko. Ang dumi pa man rin ng motor namin, nakakahiya kay VP Leni," Mariano said.

(My husband is happy [to have served the vice president]. We are embarrassed though that our motorcycle was dirty.)

"May nagki-claim po kasi na sa kanila daw po 'yung motor. 'Yung helmet lang po ang hindi sa amin. Hiniram po yata sa ibang rider. Tumulong lang po ang mister ko kay VP at isang malaking karangalan po 'yun. Hindi scripted. Hindi [kami] troll," she added.

(Someone else is claiming ownership of the motorcycle. But only the helmet is not ours. I think it was borrowed from another rider. My husband just helped the VP and it is an honor to do so. It was not scripted. We are not trolls.)

Cavite votes

Robredo, in her speech during the rally, said she had doubts if she will get enough votes in Cavite, a province wherein she lost by 100,000 votes to former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. in the 2016 vice presidential race.

"Nu'ng nagdesisyon po ako tumakbo, naisip ko, meron kaya akong makukuhang boto sa Cavite? Ngayon, wala po kaming masabi [sa dami ng tao]," Robredo said.

(When I decided to run [for president], I wondered if I will be able to get votes from Cavite. But now, [seeing the big crowd] we are speechless.)

Cavite has over two million registered voters for Eleksyon 2022. —KG, GMA News