Roxas hopes Filipinos will ‘hug, accept’ Leni Robredo the way Jesse did

Liberal Party presidential candidate Mar Roxas hopes Filipinos will “hug and accept” Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo the way her late husband, former Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, did in this photo. SCREEN GRAB FROM LENI ROBREDO’S FACEBOOK

Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer and former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II is hoping that Filipinos will “hug and accept” Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo the way her late husband did.

Roxas was reacting to a Facebook photo posted by Robredo on Sunday, which showed the former local government secretary hugging his wife.

“Reposting because I desperately need this,” Robredo said in the caption.

Roxas said Jesse’s hug might be the lifeline Robredo was asking for on Sept. 17, a day after poll front-runner Sen. Grace Poe announced that she would run for president in next year’s polls.

“Nauunawaan ko si Cong. Leni. May tawag at may hamon na kinahaharap niya, biyuda siya, tatlong dalagang anak, isa ay nasa high school pa, so hindi madali ito at nauunawaan ko na nung isang araw ay humingi siya ng lifeline at siguro yung larawan nila ni Secretary Jesse ay dumating na nga yung lifeline niya,” Roxas told reporters covering the Liga ng mga Barangay event at Marriott Hotel in Pasay City.

“Inaasahan ko na yung pagyakap sa kanya ni Secretary Jesse na nakita natin sa larawan ay yan din ang mararamdaman niya mula sa ating mga kababayan, ang pagyakap sa kanya at ang pagtanggap sa kanya,” he added.

READ: Leni Robredo asks Jesse for ‘lifeline’ | Leni Robredo under pressure, seeks lifeline from late husband

The LP had wooed Poe to be its vice presidential bet in the 2016 elections, but the senator joined the presidential derby two weeks ago. Roxas formally asked Robredo to be his running mate, but the neophyte lawmaker said the LP’s Sept. 30 deadline was a bit too soon.

Roxas also shared that he and President Benigno Aquino III himself talked with two of Robredo’s three daughters, who had expressed opposition against their mother running for a national position in 2016.

“Of course may pangamba sila para sa kanilang ina. Biglaan na development ito, kahit na matagal nang napag-uusapan ay siguro nung dumating na nga ‘yung punto na naging totoo ito ay kinailangan na nila talagang isipin ito at harapin ito. So alam ko na ang pangulo ay, magkasama kami ng pangulo nung makausap namin si Cong. Leni at yung kanyang dalawang mas nakakatandang anak, at maganda naman ang pag-uusap,” Roxas said.

The LP was set to announce its vice presidential bet and full senatorial lineup in a convention on Wednesday at Club Filipino, but a party stalwart said the impending announcement was moved to Oct. 5, Monday.

Asked if he was confident that the LP would complete its ticket by Monday, Roxas said: “Yes and may I note, yes with a smile.” Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC

READ: LP to announce VP bet, Senate slate on Oct. 5