FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo. OVP Photo
MANILA, Philippines — Former officials of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), as well as human rights lawyers and advocates, on Tuesday endorsed the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo for president.
In supporting Robredo, the past chairpersons, commissioners, executive directors, and staff of PCW cited the country’s need for an “extraordinary leader, during these extraordinary times.”
According to them, the country should have a president who strongly believes in inclusivity and in the equal treatment of all regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, or any other differentiating identity.
They also said that a president should have a track record of support for grassroots-based leadership; exceptional history of judicious management of government resources and proper implementation of programs; and exemplified political maturity.
“We believe that Leni Robredo is the only candidate who has the expertise, capability, and integrity to do all these,” the former PCW officials and staff said in a statement.
“Therefore, we, the former and officials and employees of the Philippine Commission on Women and other advocates of gender equality and women empowerment, support the candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo as President of the Republic of the Philippines,” they added.
More than 140 human rights lawyers, advocates
Also, more than 140 human rights lawyers and advocates have expressed their support for Robredo’s candidacy in the May 9 presidential elections.
“The law is an indispensable part of democracy. It is our belief, as human rights lawyers and advocates, that in Leni Robredo, the lawyer is also an advocate. It is a marriage of technical proficiency and activism. In these uncertain and difficult times, such a combination could prove to be the key in achieving accomplishment-based justice, such as justice that can finally be felt by people in the here and now,” the lawyers said in a statement.
“For these reasons and more, we, human rights lawyers and advocates, who walk the same path as hers, support the presidential candidacy of Leni Robredo,” they added.
The statement was signed by lawyers and advocates from different organizations including the non-governmental legal group Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panlegal (SALIGAN), the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), National Union of Peoples Lawyers (NUPL), UP Law, Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC), and the Ateneo Law School, among others.
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