Presidential candidates (from left)聽 Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso, known by his screen name Isko Moreno; former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, and Sen. Panfilo Lacson hold a press conference at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati on April 17, 2022. (Photo by MARIA TAN / Agence France-Presse)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Three presidential candidates on Easter Sunday offered themselves as alternatives to Vice President Leni Robredo to pose a stronger challenge against preelection survey frontrunner Ferdinand 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr.
In a much hyped press conference, Manila Mayor Francisco 鈥淚sko Moreno鈥� Domagoso went as far as to call on Robredo to 鈥渕ake the supreme sacrifice鈥� of withdrawing from the race, claiming that he and one of his other rivals for the presidency could have a better chance of winning against Marcos Jr.
Robredo on Easter Sunday chose to hold her head above the fray by dining with the Sumilao farmers in her hometown Naga City. But her spokesperson asked: Who will gain from the stunt?
Sen. Panfilo Lacson maintained that Sunday鈥檚 gathering at the posh The Peninsula Manila Hotel in Makati City was not an 鈥渁nti-Leni press conference,鈥� pointing out that their joint core message was that none of them were withdrawing from the presidential race, although their statements mostly targeted the Vice President.
They refused to disclose who funded the joint press conference at the luxury hotel.
No Pacquiao
Then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo鈥檚 former national security adviser, Norberto Gonzales, said that one of them might prove to be the better challenger to Marcos Jr., instead of Robredo, even if he, Lacson, Domagoso, and Sen. Manny Pacquiao did not believe in surveys.
The four presidential candidates had lackluster showings in last month鈥檚 surveys, obtaining single-digit percentages. Only Robredo gained a rating percentage.
At the start of the press conference, Domagoso read a joint statement he, Lacson, Gonzales, and Pacquiao prepared. But Pacquiao did not show up despite an earlier commitment to attend the briefing.
Only Domagoso, Lacson, and Gonzales signed the joint statement with vice presidential candidates Willie Ong and Sen. Vicente Sotto III signing as witnesses.
According to the statement, they committed to be part of the government of the duly elected president and that they would not deprive the electorate of their options for the country鈥檚 presidency and continue with their respective presidential candidacies. They also committed to working together to ensure that there would be no irregularities that would subvert the people鈥檚 vote on May 9.
For the next two hours, they accused the Robredo camp of talking them into withdrawing from the race.
In a tweet shortly after the press conference of her rivals, Robredo thanked the Sumilao farmers for marching for her across the country in support of her candidacy. The farmers from the Higaonon tribe in Bukidnon were among Robredo鈥檚 clientele back when she was still a pro bono human rights lawyer before entering politics.
On Sunday night, Robredo thanked her supporters for coming to her defense but asked them to 鈥渇ocus on the campaign: 鈥渢ao sa tao (man to man), puso sa puso (heart to heart).鈥�
鈥淪tarting [today], there would only be 20 days left to the campaign. Let us not let our emotions get the better of us. Let鈥檚 not say hurtful words,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have a nation to fight for.鈥�
Robredo鈥檚 spokesperson, Barry Gutierrez, said it was the 鈥減rerogative of every candidate to continue till the end, the same as it is the choice of a candidate to disregard surveys, rally attendance, endorsements or any other conventional measure of support.鈥�
鈥楾丑别补迟谤颈肠蝉鈥�
鈥淲e wish every candidate who decides to push through to the end only the best,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut in making these choices, should we not ask ourselves: Must this assertion be made through bluster and falsehood?鈥�
鈥淲ho benefits from these theatrics? What is best for the Filipino people? Perhaps, silence would have had more depth; at the very least, it would exhibit less self-entitlement, fragility and toxicity,鈥� he added.
Gutierrez said they were thankful that the 鈥渁lignments have been made even clearer, and we remain focused on showing our people that a Robredo presidency will mean a victory for all Filipinos.鈥�
Robredo鈥檚 running mate, Francis Pangilinan, also came to the defense of his partner and said it was not their style to hoodwink politicos.
He warned that, with Sunday鈥檚 press conference, Robredo would gain against her rivals.
鈥楥hange players鈥�
During the press conference, the three presidential candidates claimed that they were asked to withdraw from the race by Robredo鈥檚 supporters, although none of them could directly say that the Vice President had asked her supporters to prompt their withdrawal.
According to Lacson and Domagoso, they were asked to back out of the presidential race by Robredo during 鈥渦nity talks,鈥� even before the filing of certificates of candidacy in October last year.
Lacson admitted that he was not sure if Robredo was aware of persons approaching them to withdraw during the campaign period.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if [Vice President] Robredo herself knows about this. My experience with her was when we talked, even before we filed our certificates of candidacy,鈥� he said, referring to a discussion he had with former Quezon City Mayor Jun Simon, who supposedly asked him to withdraw in favor of Robredo.
Domagoso, for his part, said that Robredo鈥檚 supporters have been hounding him to withdraw on social media and allegedly even spread fake news that he was planning to quit the race on May 1, in exchange for an appointment as home affairs secretary.
Both Lacson and Domagoso recently lost some of their supporters to the Robredo campaign.
For his part, Gonzales said that some of his friends, including former Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, asked him to withdraw and support another presidential candidate.
But, he pointed out, 鈥淸The argument is] flawed. It鈥檚 not true that if we withdrew and endorsed [Vice President] Robredo, that our supporters will automatically go there. That doesn鈥檛 happen in reality. It鈥檚 more important that we preserve the percentage [of voters] going to us.鈥�
Gonzales claimed that he was also concerned about another Marcos in power and said that Robredo might be the 鈥渨rong鈥� contender to go against the late dictator鈥檚 son and namesake.
鈥淲e might need to change players. There are only three weeks to go but if we jointly attack the No. 1 (Marcos), it would only be to No. 2鈥檚 (Robredo鈥檚) advantage 鈥� But if you remove No. 2 it might be better,鈥� he pointed out.
Domagoso said that it might be nobler for Robredo to withdraw and make the supreme sacrifice, allowing him and other presidential bets to pose a stronger challenge to Marcos鈥� candidacy.
He said: 鈥淚f you鈥檙e not a good player to win, then you [make] the supreme sacrifice, you withdraw. The same challenge they are giving us 鈥� Now we鈥檙e calling: Be a hero, withdraw, Leni.鈥�
Domagoso later on said that this was only 鈥渉is鈥� call.
He clarified that his animosity toward Robredo was not based on gender but on character as a person. Although he did say at one point, 鈥淟et the best man win,鈥� in reference to his rivals for the presidency.
He also made reference to a point in the presidential debates when he and Lacson wanted to engage Robredo in arguments but thought better of it because 鈥渟he might get offended as a woman.鈥�
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