Robredo says her anti-martial law stance a factor for ratings spike
BALAYAN, Batangas — Administration vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo on Wednesday considers her strong position against martial law as one of the factors that helped improve her survey ratings.
Among other vice presidential contenders, Robredo said she’s the only one vocal about her stance against the abuses under the dictatorial regime of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, whose son and namesake Senator Bongbong Marcos is running against her.
When asked if her anti-martial law stance became the reason her numbers have gone up since the campaign started, she answered in the affirmative.
But Robredo clarified that this was not anything personal against her rival.
“Mukhang sa aming lahat, ako lang yung very vocal about martial law. ‘Yung sa akin, hindi naman personal ‘yon about Bongbong, pero para sa akin, yung martial law kasi isang issue na I feel strongly about,” she said in an interview in Balayan Municipality.
In the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, the Camarines Sur representative was the biggest gainer, closing in on her rivals Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Marcos.
From 19 percent in February, Robredo rose to 24 percent this month. Escudero maintained the lead at 28 percent. Marcos was in second place with 26 percent.
Meanwhile in the latest Pulse Asia survey, Robredo was close behind Escudero and Marcos, who got 25 percent and 22 percent, respectively. Robredo is in third place with 21 percent.
Robredo said the assassination of democracy icon and former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., who was a staunch critic of the older Marcos, sparked her and her late husband Jesse Robredo’s political awakening.
“Kaming mag asawa parehas kaming umuwi sa Naga because of the Edsa (revolution). Pareho kaming na-inspire na maglingkod sa gobyerno. Hindi pa kami magkakilala at that time pero from the (Aquino’s) assassination until Edsa, active kami sa street protests kaya sa akin, ramdam na ramdam ko yung paghingi ng hustisya ng lahat ng biktima ng martial law, kaya very vocal ako doon kasi ‘yon ang umpisa. Nagumpisa ako sa struggle na ‘yon. Hindi pwedeng 30 years after kakalimutan na lang ‘yon,” she said.
Robredo, along with Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas, visited the municipalities Balayan and Lemery in this vote-rich province. Later this afternoon, President Benigno Aquino III will join them for a campaign rally at the Batangas Sports Complex in Batangas City. JE
