Robredo pushes for Kiko, Bam Senate comeback bid

NAGA City —Former vice president and Naga city mayoral bet Leni Robredo went all out in campaigning for the 2025 Senate comeback of former senators Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and  Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV in her hometown, saying both are trustworthy and genuine public servants.

Robredo said her support for Pangilinan and Aquino was borne out of her "personal" experience working with them during her two national campaigns in 2016 and 2022.

"Senator Kiko was my vice president [when I ran for President in 2022], at alam natin gaano siya katibay. Si Senator Bam, siya ang aking campaign manager noong kumandidato akong Vice President at Presidente. Kaya naging matagumpay po ang kampanya. Kaya malaking pasalamat ko kina Senator Kiko at Senator Bam,” Robredo said.

Robredo said Naga voters are not blinded by money and will always go for trustworthy bets like Pangilinan and Aquino.

“Dito sa Naga, napakarami nang eleksyon ang dumaan, pinakita natin sa buong Pilipinas na ang Naguenong botante ay hindi nabibili.  Dito po sa atin, hindi porket mayaman ang kandidato, puwedeng manalo,” Robredo said.

“Ang mga tao, ang binoboto, sinasaloob nila ang tama. Ang mga botante sa Naga, nag-iisip, laging ginagamit ang boses para makiisa sa good governance,” Robredo added.

Pangilinan said he is worthy of every vote given that he has always been honest as a husband, father, and public servant.

"Nung niligawan ko si Sharon, marami akong kakumpitensiya. Pero ako nagwagi. Kasi sinabi ko sa kanya hindi ko siya sasaktan. Hindi ko siya bibiguin. Ganun rin dapat sa lingkod bayan," Pangilinan said.

"Dapat kapag binigyan ng tiwala, mananatiling tapat at totoo, hindi nagsisinungaling. Hindi abusado. Ako po, si Kiko, bilang asawa, ama at lingkod bayan, tapat at totoo, ipaglalaban kayo,"  Pangilinan added.

Aquino said their 2025 run might be short on resources, but was never short of trust that their worthy fight will win in the end.

"Sabi ni Ginang Robredo, huwag mawalan ng tiwala. Itong 2025, puro po kami tiwala: Tiwala sa Diyos, tiwala sa taumbayan," Aquino added.

ML party-list first nominee Leila de Lima expressed confidence that those who choose to fight the good fight will win amid the tough odds. 

"Minsan parang tayong bumabangga sa matigas na bato. Naniniwala po ako na hanggat tayo'y nakatayo, lumalaban, darating ang araw, magigiba rin ang batong yan. Ipaglaban natin ang tama. Bawat boto natin ang mahalaga. Huwag na natin piliin itong mga traydor, itong mga pro-China," de Lima said.

(It could feel at times as if we are going against a rock-solid surface. I believe that as long as we are still standing, fighting, we'll be able to break down that rock. Every vote counts, so let us not choose the traitors who are pro-China.)

"Dahil po sa suporta ninyo, mananalo po tayo. Mananalo ang Kiko-Bam, mananalo ang An Bagong Team Naga, mananalo ang ML," de Lima added. 

(Because of your support, we will win this. Kiko-Bam will win, An Bagong Team Naga will win and ML will win.) 

Ahead of the miting de avance, Robredo met with former Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, one of the Senate bets of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.  She earlier endorsed the Senate bid of Abalos.

"Kasama ko po si Secretary Abalos. Parati ko pong sinasabi sa kanya how grateful we are sa dami ng tulong na binigay niya sa Lungsod namin. Kami po ng team namin, An Bagong Team Naga, very supportive sa kanya kasi alam namin na pag nakaupo siya sa Senado, lalong tutulungan niya kami," Robredo said in a video message to Abalos.

"Alam na alam niya iyong mga problema namin rito. Sa pinakamadilim na kabanata ng buhay namin e nandito siya to help us," Robredo added.

This early, Robredo said that Abalos is already looking for ways to help Naga.

"Kaya naman po kami ay very hopeful, maraming maraming salamat sa iyo,  Sec," Robredo said.

In response, Abalos said "Thank you Maam. Maraming salamat po." 

Abalos is one of the four Senate bets endorsed by Robredo alongside Pangilinan, Aquino, and Manny Pacquiao.

More endorsements

Earlier in the day, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and other local Quezon City officials also endorsed Pangilinan.

“This (Quezon City) is a huge voting population and that’s my roots. I have a long-standing political affiliation with the government here. Maganda ‘iyong aming finish,” Pangilinan, who served as QC councilor from 1988 to 1992, said.

Pangilinan said that the endorsement that he got from leaders of vote-rich areas such as Belmonte, Cebu governor Gwen Garcia and Cavite gubernatorial candidate and current Board Member Francisco Gabriel “Abeng” Remulla should be sufficient for the 20% undecided to vote for him on election day.

Quezon City has at least 1.4 million registered voters, the highest in Metro Manila.

Cebu has over 3.4 million voters, the highest in the country. Cavite, meanwhile, has over 2.4 million voters.

“We’re aiming for a strong finish. We’re hopeful that the undecided will go with us and give us the necessary push into the winning circle. Hindi naman tayo i e endorso ng mga grupo na ito hung wala naman tayong kakayahan. Binubusisi nila ng husto, hindi sila naniniwala sa fake news, sila ay naniniwala na meron tayo tunay na track record na mapagkakatiwalaan,” Pangilinan said.

Aquino, meanwhile, said the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cristo and Jesus Is Lord Movement will give his bid a significant lift.

“Taos-pusong pasasalamat kay Executive Minister Eduardo Manalo at sa buong Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) sa inyong tiwala at pag-indorso sa aking kandidatura. Patuloy po nating pagtatrabahuhan na makamit ang magandang buhay para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” Aquino said. 

"Thank you very much also to the Jesus is Lord Church for endorsing my candidacy for senator. I am truly grateful for your trust and support," he added.

Aquino placed 11th in the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from April 20 to 24, while Pangilinan is outside looking in the Top 12 or the winners’ circle.

The Pulse Asia poll, however, was done ahead of the huge endorsements from various groups and vote-rich areas this week.—LDF, GMA Integrated News

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