Kris Aquino: ‘Fight for Leni . . . Noy believes in her’

By: Krixia Subingsubing - 3 years ago

SHOWBIZ FLAVOR Actresses Angel Locsin (left) and Kris Aquino speak to 50,000 Robredo supporters in Tarlac City. Photo from VP Leni Media Bureau

In Tarlac province, the bailiwick of the Aquino family, presidential aspirant and Vice President Leni Robredo’s campaign got a big boost from two of the country’s top celebrities: Angel Locsin and Kris Aquino.

The two women led the charge during a grand rally for Robredo and her running mate Sen. Francis Pangilinan in Tarlac City, which saw 35,000 people in attendance. Both spoke of Robredo’s leadership and unblemished record and asked people to vote for them on May 9. In particular, Aquino, who had lost a lot of weight since being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and, more recently, erosive gastritis and gastric ulcer, generated the most buzz as she appeared for the first time on the campaign trail.

True to form as the country’s talk show queen, she managed to take a swipe at Robredo’s chief rival, former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and her ex-boyfriend and senatorial aspirant Herbert Bautista in one fell swoop.

Letter for Leni

“Remember the ex is on the Uniteam?” she said, referring to Bautista and Marcos’ political party. “Don’t vote for him. Sayang ang boto dahil hindi marunong tumupad sa pangako. Deadma, please (Your vote will go to waste because he doesn’t fulfill his promises. Ignore him, please).”

“I see Robredo [respects] the law and fights for democracy,” she said. “I am begging you, let’s not allow [it to be] taken away from us again. Let’s fight for our rights and never allow the dictatorship to return again.”

The term of Marcos’ father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, was marked by numerous human rights violations with Amnesty International saying there were 107,200 victims, mostly killed, tortured or imprisoned by his administration.

Aquino also revealed that her brother, the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, who died of renal failure last year, had left behind a letter for Robredo in which he spoke of her sincerity and ability to lead others.

“And when I read that, I told myself: You have to fight for her because Noy believes in her,” she said.

“Thank you, VP, I did this for you. I did this for my dad, my mom, for Noy,” Aquino told Robredo. “But most of all, I did it for the future of [my sons] Josh and Bimb. Because I want the Philippines to be in good hands.”