FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo (left) and Senator Kiko Pangilinan.
NAGA CITY, Philippines — The tandem of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan, along with the rest of their senatorial slate, launched their 2022 campaign in her hometown of Naga City, Camarines Sur on Tuesday amid a huge crowd in this city’s Plaza Quezon.
The team’s proclamation rally followed Robredo and Pangilinan’s tour of Camarines Sur earlier in the day.
The Leni-Kiko tandem’s senatorial line-up includes reelectionist and former senators Risa Hontiveros, Richard Gordon, Antonio Trillanes IV, Leila de Lima, Francis Escudero, Miguel Zubiri, and Joel Villanueva; former congressmen Teddy Baguilat and Neri Colmenares; former vice president Jejomar Binay; and lawyers Chel Diokno, Alex Lacson, Sonny Matula.
While Hontiveros, Gordon, Trillanes, Baguilat, Diokno, Lacson, and Matula were able to physically attend the proclamation rally and deliver their speeches, Escudero and de Lima each sent their videotaped message to their supporters.
Since de Lima remains detained at the Custodial Center of the Philippine National Police, she sent a representative to the event to further convey her message.
READ: ‘Disadvantaged’ De Lima campaigns via ‘proxies,’ handwritten statements
The proclamation rally started at 6:00 p.m., or 30 minutes later than the announced schedule, as it took a long time for Robredo to move from Iriga town. Robredo also failed to attend the Mass at the Naga Cathedral which was set at 4:00 p.m.
Previously, Robredo said that starting in CamSur makes sense as the province has been her safe place and refuge during times of difficulties and challenges.
“Sa mga Bikolano lagi akong nagpapasalamat kasi— ako dito ako pinanganak, dito ako lumaki, dito ako nag-asawa. ‘Yung mga anak ko lahat dito pinanganak. ‘Yung mga anak ko dito nag-aral, pumunta ng Maynila ‘yung dalawa for college and si Jillian lumipat noong high school, pero dito talaga kami,” she said in an ambush interview with local reporters on Sunday, February 6.
READ: Robredo to kick off campaign for presidency in Camarines Sur on February 8
“So, sa akin, laging kahit anong kaguluhan na pinagdadaanan ko, ‘pag nandito ako, nakakalimutan ko ‘yun lahat dahil ano ako, among people who love me the most. Kaya ako nagpapasalamat sa kanila. Iniimbitahan ko din sila sa kick-off. Magkakaroon tayo ng motorcade all over Camarines Sur sa February 8,” she added.
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