Despite the inclement weather, a 43,000 -strong crowd showed their support for presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo and running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan, at the 鈥淟ENIwanag Ang Silangan鈥� grand rally held at the Rizal Provincial Capitol grounds in Antipolo City on Tuesday, April 5. (VP Leni Media Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Amid another round of red tagging, this time targeting her campaign violunteers, Vice President Leni Robredo remains firm that she will not forge any alliance with groups that will use violence.
Robredo issued her statement on Thursday after her campaign volunteers were red tagged, saying that red tagging only meant to stop the momentum of her People鈥檚 Campaign.
The Vice President is still a far second according to latest voter preference surveys, but her camp believes recent survey results are now reflecting the massive groundswell of support for her candidacy. A Pulse Asia survey on Wednesday showed a 9 percentage point increase in voter preference for Robredo.
鈥淢alinaw ang motibasyon ng walang-tigil na pangre-red tag sa akin at sa mga volunteers natin: Ang pigilan ang momentum ng ating People鈥檚 Campaign. Tandaan natin, nagsimula ito noong naging sunod-sunod ang pagdagsa ng mga tao sa ating mga people鈥檚 rally鈥攏a para bang di makapaniwala ang iba na puwedeng magkaisa ang karaniwang Pilipino sa ngalan ng pag-asa,鈥� Robredo said.
鈥淯ulitin ko: Hindi ako makikipag-alyado sa kahit sinong gumagamit ng dahas para magsulong ng anumang agenda,鈥� she added.
Robredo further said that she is standing up for volunteers who are being red-tagged only because they are seeking a better future.
鈥淜aisa ako ng mga volunteers natin na tumitindig para sa katotohanan at pag-asa; na nalalagay sa panganib at nakakaramdam nang pangamba dahil ni-reredtag sila,鈥� she said.
鈥淣andito ako at ang buong campaign team, lalo na ang ating mga volunteer lawyers, para ipagtanggol kayo sa pangha-harass na maaaring maidulot ng laganap na red-tagging laban sa ating mga volunteers,鈥� she added.
This is not the first time that critics have claimed that Robredo and her supporters are working with communists. After the rally at General Trias, Cavite that was attended by some 47,000 supporters, a local politician claimed that members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front were present at the event.
READ: 鈥楬indi kami bayad鈥�: Robredo鈥檚 Cavite supporters slam red-tagging, 鈥榩ay鈥� for rally attendees
READ: Lacson warns Robredo of 鈥榗ommunist infiltration鈥� in campaign; VP spokesman cries foul