Vice President Leni Robredo joins Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, Governor Edwin Jubahib, and other local officials in a press conference where they endorsed her presidential bid at the Davao del Norte Provincial Capitol in Tagum City on Thursday, March 24. (VP Leni Media Bureau)
TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte — Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez’s endorsement of Vice President Leni Robredo came as a surprise because he has initially supported Senator Panfilo Lacson’s presidential bid and has been critical of the opposition before.
But according to Alvarez, there is a deeper and personal meaning as to why he picked Robredo for president: he does not want to waste his fight against the Marcos dictatorship that draws back to the 1980s.
“Ito kasi, para sa akin, personal, bakit nakapag-pasya akong sumuporta kay Leni Robredo? Eto ‘yon: ang unang laban na sinalihan ko nung dekada 80, nasa Ateneo Law School ako no’n,” Alvarez said.
“Naalala ko pa din, sumasama kami sa mga martsa sa kalye para tuldukan ang rehimeng diktaduryang Marcos. Kasama ako ‘don. ‘Yon ang unang laban, Marcos vs Cory,” he added.
Robredo is running in the 2022 national elections against former senator Bongbong Marcos, namesake and son of late dictator, former president Ferdinand Marcos.
Currently, the younger Marcos is leading in several surveys, with Pulse Asia’s recent poll conducted from February 18 to 23 showing that 60 percent of the respondents picked him. Robredo on the other hand only had 15 percent.
READ: Marcos Jr. leads latest Pulse Asia survey for presidential race
The older Marcos’ over 20 years rule has been marred with allegations of rights abuse, silencing critics and opposition members, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances.
The Marcos family is also being held liable for amassing a huge sum of ill-gotten wealth, which was estimated to be worth around $10 billion. Several cases have been filed against key members of the family, including former first lady Imelda Marcos who in November 2018 was found guilty by Sandiganbayan of graft for transferring funds to Swiss accounts while occupying government posts.
READ: If Bongbong Marcos wins, P328B ‘ill-gotten’ wealth, unpaid taxes may not be recovered – Carpio
READ: Imelda Marcos guilty of graft, ordered arrested
Alvarez said that he wants to continue the fight until now, prevent the Marcos from returning to power, but this time in the fight between the younger Marcos and Robredo.
“Ayoko naman na yung pinaglaban ko noon ay hindi ko na ipaglalaban ngayon. Kaya para sakin, gusto ko lang ituloy yung unang laban na sinalihan ko, itututloy ko sa pangalawang laban na ito. Marcos vs Leni,” he explained.
Alvarez, a former House of Representatives speaker who has been known as an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, surprised political circles after coming out to endorse Robredo, despite being critical of the Vice President during the early part of the current administration’s tenure.
READ: Ex-Lacson ally Alvarez confirms: I’m now backing Robredo
This came months after he endorsed Senator Panfilo Lacson’s presidential bid. Earlier, Lacson resigned from his chairmanship role in Partido Reporma, which Alvarez heads.
Prior to Alvarez’ announcement, Lacson resigned from the chairmanship role at Partido Reporma.
READ: Lacson leaves Partido Reporma, to run as independent candidate