POLL PREPARATIONS? | Robredo holds meetings with Gordon, Lacson ahead of 2022 elections

July 28, 2021 , 03:36 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(July 28, 2021) – Vice President Leni Robredo appeared to have started her political meetings for the 2022 elections after two lawmakers confirmed on Wednesday to have met with the country’s opposition leader recently.

Sen. Ping Lacson and Sen. Richard Gordon, in separate interviews, confirmed the conduct of separate discussions but both refused to elaborate on the matters they talked about.

“‘Di ko lang ma-divulge ‘yung pinag-usapan dahil wala naman akong authority sa kanya para i-share ‘yung aming pinag-usapan. Pero nag-usap na kami,” said Lacson in an online forum.

Lacson is the only politician who has confirmed his intention to run for president, with Senate President Tito Sotto III serving as his vice president. They said they plan to stay on neutral ground to offer voters another choice apart from the candidates from the administration and the opposition.

Sen. Kiko Pangilinan, president of the Liberal Party (LP), earlier said they plan to reach out to Lacson and three other officials—Sen. Nancy Binay, Sen. Joel Villanueva, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno—to build the “broadest unity possible.” It was announced before Lacson and Sotto officially bared their political plans.

Aside from Robredo, who’s the LP chairperson, former senator Bam Aquino was also present during the meeting, according to Lacson.

“Basta nag-usap na kami,” said Lacson.

Gordon, meanwhile, confirmed that he and Robredo had a political talk but refused to delve into the specifics. Gordon ran for president in 2010 but lost to the late former President Noynoy Aquino III.

He said they did not talk about any potential candidates in the 2022 elections but hinted at the weak possibility of having a tandem with Robredo. Gordon can also run for another term in the Senate.

“I know where I am going and I think she knows where she is going as well,” said Gordon on the ABS-CBN News Channel. “She is a very nice lady and I respect her and that is what we need—respectable people who will run the country.”

Robredo has been coy about her political plans because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez, however, has expressed confidence that “the numbers will be there” if and when Robredo decides to run for president.

Robredo’s camp said the political meetings are “part of the VP’s commitments to forge the broadest possible unity among groups and individuals seeking change” by next year.

But former senator Sonny Trillanes IV, another nominee of the opposition, reacted negatively to Robredo’s meeting with Lacson.

VP Leni, I hope this is not true. Pero kung totoo ito, pasensya na po pero the Magdalo Group would not join you and LP kung mag give way kayo para kay Sen. Lacson.

May I remind you also na si Sen. Lacson ay isa sa nagtulak sa unjust imprisonment of your partymate, Sen. De lima. pic.twitter.com/YClYe63dga

— Sonny Trillanes IV (@TrillanesSonny) July 28, 2021

“VP Leni, I hope this is not true. Pero kung totoo ito, pasensya na po pero the Magdalo Group would not join you and LP kung mag-give way kayo para kay Sen. Lacson,” said Trillanes on Twitter. “May I remind you also na si Sen. Lacson ay isa sa nagtulak sa unjust imprisonment of your party mate, Sen. (Leila) De Lima.”

(PM | With reports from Maeanne Los Baños, News 5)

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