Vice President Leni Robredo (FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo is “in it to win” the presidency if the lone criterion for the position is the goodness of one’s heart, Senator Panfilo Lacson said, but added that being tough and other qualities are also needed to lead the country.
“I would just like to wish the Vice President all the best of luck kasi she’s been nominated by 1Sambayan and in my book, if the goodness of the heart is one single criterion to elect a president, then I think she’s in it to win it,” Lacson said on ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart.
“But we all know na hindi naman pwedeng lang yung busilak yung puso yung uupo and kailangan merong toughness at iba pang qualities,” he added.
[But we all know a good heart is not enough for those who will sit as president, there should also be toughness and other qualities.)
Lacson, who clarified that he was not campaigning for Robredo, described the vice president as a “very decent person.”
“This is just an opinion. My personal opinion and since she’s been nominated by 1Sambayan, I wish her all the luck,” he said.
Robredo was among six of 1Sambayan’s presidential and vice presidential nominees who the coalition named over the weekend.
Aside from the vice president, former Senator Sonny Trillanes IV, Senator Grace Poe, Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) party-list and Rep. Eddie Villanueva, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno and Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto were also nominated.
Lacson, meanwhile, has already declined 1Sambayan’s offer for him to be a part of its presidential nominees for the 2022 national elections.
The senator’s name was floated as a possible presidential candidate in 2022 with Senate President Vicente Sotto III saying he will team up with the former in the upcoming polls.
But Lacson has yet to decide on whether or not he will join the presidential race in 2022 or retire from politics.