MANILA, Philippines — If indeed Vice Presidential Leni Robredo’s numbers are rising, perhaps it is time for other presidential candidates to start thinking about unification and having only one candidate to fight the administration, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Monday.
According to Drilon, the “non-administration” votes are distributed into four, but he did not mention which presidential candidates he was referring to.
“This brings me to the point, if indeed it is confirmed that the numbers of Vice President Leni have substantially increased as indicated in the rallies, then maybe it’s about time that the three other presidential candidates should start thinking and think in terms of unifying and having only one candidate to fight the administration candidate,” Drilon said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.
“With all due respect, the other candidates should now start examining where they are if they have not even gotten to double figures. Kung mas mababa pa sa 10 percent, there’s no sense,” he added.
Drilon did not mention names but based on the latest Pulse Asia survey released in February, presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. remains in the lead with 60 percent.
Robredo placed second at 16 percent, followed by Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (both at 8 percent) and Sen. Panfilo Lacson at 4 percent.
Of the top five presidential bets, only Marcos and Robredo are in double digits based on the survey.
“They must start to examine. Again, I respect every candidate presenting himself or herself to the public but the realities we must face as we get near the elections and the surveys would indicate that the votes, the non-administration votes are splintered into what, four? Hati-hati po dun sa non-administration,” Drilon said.
“Sa akin, panahon na para mag-isip, they should think of uniting as one candidate so that we can have at least a clear mandate on the part of whoever wins the elections. In other words, it’s a one-on-one fight,” he added.
Prior to the filing of certificates of candidacy for presidency, there were talks of unification and having only one opposition candidate. However, this did not pan out.
READ: Robredo still hoping for united opposition
Domagoso’s campaign manager Lito Banayo, however, said rallies are not the basis of elections.
“With all due respect to my highly respected friend, Sen. Frank Drilon, rallies do not an election make. Candidates apply to the whole electorate, not to a herded crowd wearing the same uniforms,” Banayo said in a text message to INQUIRER.net.
INQUIRER.net has also reached out to the camps of Pacquiao and Lacson for a comment on this story but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.