Vice President Leni Robredo. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — With barely a week before the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC), a group of trade union members, workers, and farmers has expressed support for Vice President Leni Robredo as she calls for a united opposition in the elections next year.
“Naniniwala kami na ito ang pinakamabisang paraan upang mapigilan ang pagbabalik ng mga Marcos sa Malacañang at mapigilan na rin ang tangka ni Duterte na iupo ang kanyang anak o ang kanyang alipores nang sa gayon ay hindi siya mapanagot sa mga kasalanan niya laban sa bayan,” the Alliance of Labor Leaders for Leni Robredo (#ALL4Leni) said in a statement on Saturday.
(We believe that this is the most effective way to prevent the return of the Marcoses to Malacañang and also to prevent Duterte from installing his daughter or his henchmen to power and make him accountable for his sins against the people.)
According to the group, a unified opposition is what will put an end to the kind of leadership Filipinos now have.
“Nais nilang tapusin na ang ganitong pamumuno (the people wants to end this kind of leadership),” the group said.
“Nananalig kami sa kakayahan ni VP Leni na pag-isahin ang lahat ng mga tunay na nagnanais na wakasan ang kasalukuyang Administrasyon upang mapabuti ang pamamalakad sa ating bansa,” it added.
(We believe in the ability of VP Leni to unite all those who truly want to end the current administration and to improve governance in our country.)
Meanwhile, Robredo, who has yet to announce her plans for the 2022 polls, said she remains determined to push for unification among the candidates, stop President Rodrigo Duterte from continuing with his hold on power and block the return of the Marcos family to Malacañang.
Senators Panfilo Lacson, former senator Antontio Trillanes IV, Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno have all declared their respective bids for the presidency in the 2022 polls.
The Commission on Elections has set the period for the filing of COCs from October 1 to October 8.
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