Kiko: Efforts to pair VP Leni with other candidates meant to confuse voters

On Friday, Senator and vice-presidential candidate Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said that efforts pairing presidential bet and Vice President Leni Robredo with a different running mate were meant to confuse voters and would not prosper.

Pangilinan was responding to an effort by local officials and a group of supporters campaigning for Robredo for president and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for vice president.

The ROSA movement is led by Albay Representative Joey Salceda, Congressman Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga City Mayor Isabela Climaco.

The movement supported a Robredo and Duterte pairing given that both were efficient in delivering social services to the people, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"'Iyong ROSA, paliku-liko ‘yun eh. Harapan na nga natin babanggain itong pwersa na nais nating talunin tapos merong paliku-liko kung saan-saan dinadala," Pangilinan said during a campaign stop in Bukidnon where he also administered oath of around 150 new members of Liberal Party where he serves as party president.

(ROSA takes us to a long and winding road when we are facing a force we want to face head-on. This effort is taking us in different directions.)

"Kaya ako’y panatag na itong mga maniobra ng mga pulitiko ay hindi yan magtatagumpay at hindi matitinag ang aming samahan ni Vice President Leni dahil iisa ang aming paninindigan at prinsipyo spanning many decades of empowerment [of the people], 'yung ating pagtrabaho para sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda at mga nasa laylayan. At alam namin ang aming samahan ay dahil na rin nga sa taumbayang naninindigan," he added, referring to his and Robredo's past stints as lawyer for the marginalized.

(I am confident that these maneuvers won't prosper and that the Leni-Kiko tandem will stand tall because we have the same principles, spanning many decades, in empowering our people, being of help to the marginalized. Likewise, our tandem was formed because of the people who are standing with us fighting for the cause.)

Pangilinan then said that his partnership with Robredo, which was based on principles and a track record, was the same reason why their campaign was  gaining ground as seen in their well-attended campaign rallies.

"Wala naman kami dito kung wala kayo. Hindi naman dadami yung mga sumasama sa mga rally kung hindi kayo mismo tumataya at naninindigan sa tandem ng Leni-Kiko. Kaya harapin man natin itong mga maniobra ng pulitiko, naririyan ang taumbayan, papalag, tututulan at sasabihing hindi tayo pupuwedeng liku-liko. Kinakailangan tayo maninindigan nang diretso. Kaya tayo naririto," he added.

(We won't be here without you. Our ranks could not have grown if you were not for Leni-Kiko. And so amid these maneuvering, the voters are there and will stand up against the direction of a long and winding road. We need to stand for the straight path.)

Aside from ROSA, Davao del Norte Representative and Partido Reporma President Pantaleon Alvarez also said that his party would be pushing for a Robredo-Senate President Vicente Sotto III ticket. — DVM, GMA News