This July 15, 2020, shows Camarines Sur 2nd District LRay Villafuerte Jr. INQUIRER FILE/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte is “99.9 percent” certain that Vice President Leni Robredo will not vie for the province’s gubernatorial post.
This as he believes that she will rather gun for the presidency, saying there is a clamor in the Bicol region for Robredo to run for president in the 2022 elections.
“Ako, 99.9 percent she will not run for governor,” Villafuerte said. “Nakikita naman sa Bicol, may clamor for her to run for president. Bicolano wants to have a candidate so fearless forecast ko, I think she will run for the president.”
Robredo has yet to announce her move for the 2022 polls but has also expressed openness to compete for the presidency. However, former Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya earlier claimed that the Vice President was eyeing to become governor of Camarines Sur.
But Villafuerte said Robredo is not eligible to run for the local post since she is a resident of Naga City, an independent component city of Camarines Sur.
Residents of independent component cities cannot vote or run for provincial posts, he explained.
“She can run for congressman or mayor of Naga City but definitely not for governor. Why? May kaso na po ang Comelec na if you are a registered voter of Naga City, you are disqualified to run in the province,” Villafuerte said.
Villafuerte was referring to a 2013 resolution of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that declared former Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz ineligible to run for governor of Camarines Sur since he was a resident of Naga City.