Ka Leody says Isko’s call for Robredo to withdraw a ‘foul’

Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman on Thursday said it was “foul” for Manila Mayor Isko Moreno to call for Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw from the Eleksyon 2022 presidential race.

De Guzman said if he was in Moreno's position and Robredo’s camp indeed urged him to withdraw his candidacy, he would not have done the same thing because it was wrong.

“Tingin ko, ‘yung panawagang mag-withdraw publicly ay parang foul. Foul ‘yun. Hindi maganda. Kung gusto ninyo ng pagkakaisa laban kay Marcos dahil hindi tayo sang-ayon doon sa style at historical background ng mamang ‘yun, at nagkakaisa tayo, e di mag-unite tayo on the ground,” he said in a CNN interview.

(I think the call for Robredo to withdraw is a foul. It’s not good. If you want to unite against Marcos because we don't agree with his style and historical background, then let’s unite on the ground.)

De Guzman stressed that candidates could have worked together to inform the public in the barangay level about what really transpired during the martial law era and during Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.’s stint as a local public official in Ilocos Norte.

“Ipaliwanag natin ‘yung katotohanan ng lahat ng bagay na ‘yun. Magtulong-tulong [tayo] at bahala na kung kanino pupunta ang mga tao,” he added.  

(Let's explain to the people the truth, what really happened during that the martial law. Let's help each other and let the people decide whom they would choose among us.)

Asked if he was invited to the press conference where Moreno asked Robredo to back out, De Guzman said, “Salamat naman at hindi ako inimbitahan dahil hindi naman ako dadalo (Good thing I was not invited because I have no intention of going anyway).”

He said the press conference seemed to put the candidates in the bad light and Robredo the favored one as she looked like the "underdog" there.

“Tingin ko nagulo ‘yung mga tao at mukhang may negative pa atang impact sa kanila ‘yun. Mukhang mas favor pa yata kay Leni ‘yung naging resulta dahil parang na-underdog siya sa usapan na ‘yan,” he said.

(The event rattled people and seemed to have a negative impact on the candidates present there. It seemed the result of the press conference was in favor of Robredo who looked like an undergo there.)

Sought for comment, Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernest Ramel Jr. said it was the labor leader’s opinion considering that he was not the one repeatedly asked to withdraw by Robredo’s camp.

“He was not the one who's being subjected by relentless calls from VP Leni's camp to withdraw as early as October 7, 2021. Having said this, I still have a high regard for Ka Leody and his causes,” Ramel told GMA News Online.

On Sunday, Moreno, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and former Defense secretary Norberto Gonzales held a press conference to say that they will not withdraw their respective presidential bids weeks before the May 9 polls.

Moreno drew backlash on social media following his call for Robredo’s withdrawal on Sunday, a call he later renewed and refused to apologize for.

He also dared the camp of Robredo to deny allegations that they asked other candidates to withdraw from the race.

In response, Robredo's spokesman Barry Gutierrez reiterated that Robredo is too focused on her campaign to be affected by her emotions and criticisms against her.

For his part, De Guzman said no one had asked him yet to withdraw his candidacy, indicating that "siguro dahil alam nila na hindi ako magwi-withdraw (maybe because they know that I won't back out)."—Giselle Ombay/AOL, GMA News