FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo gives a post-election statement from her home in Magarao, Camarines Norte in the early hours of Tuesday, May 10, 2022. – On September 21, 2024, Robredo said that no political color is given to visits of politicians during the Peñafrancia Festival. In an interview with reporters, Robredo addressed conjectures regarding the visit of some current government officials and politicians – some with apparent plans to run in next year’s midterm elections – to her home in Naga City during the religious celebration. (File photo from VP Leni Media Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Former Vice President Leni Robredo said that no political color is given to visits of politicians during the Peñafrancia Festival.
In an interview with reporters, Robredo addressed conjectures regarding the visit of some current government officials and politicians – some with apparent plans to run in next year’s midterm elections – to her home in Naga City during the religious celebration.
Among Robredo’s visitors on Friday and Saturday were Vice President Sara Duterte, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr., and Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. This year’s weeklong Peñafrancia Festival, which marks the centenary of the canonical coronation of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, started on September 13.
“’Pag Peñafrancia [Festival] dito sa amin, wala namang kulay ng pulitikang tinitingnan. (During Peñafrancia festival here in our place, we don’t look at political colors),” she said.
READ: VP Sara Duterte visited Leni Robredo in Naga, Gutierrez confirms
“Walang partido, politically neutral dito lahat, lahat ng pumupunta para kay Ina [Our Lady of Peñafrancia] ay welcome dito sa amin,” Robredo also said.
(No political parties, everyone here is politically neutral. Everyone who comes for Ina [Our Lady of Peñafrancia] is welcome here with us.)
“Mula nung naging mayor ang asawa ko nung 1988, every time na may bisita ang Naga na si Ina ang sadya, very much welcome dito sa amin,” she added.
(Since my husband became mayor in 1988, every time Naga has visitors coming for Ina, they are always very much welcome here with us.)
On Friday, the former vice president issued a statement regarding Duterte’s visit and said that their conversation was “personal and not political.”
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) likewise released a statement Friday, saying Duterte, a successor of Robredo as vice president, was invited by a friend to Naga City to experience the Peñafrancia Festival.
The OVP also said the same friend arranged a casual meeting between Duterte and Robredo.
READ: Former VP Leni Robredo to run for Naga City mayor
Earlier, several news outfits reported seeing Duterte at the Bicol International Airport on Friday morning (September 20).
Robredo and Duterte were from the opposing sides of the political spectrum. Robredo was a known stalwart of the Liberal Party, the opposition during the administration of Duterte’s father, Rodrigo. Robredo, however, ran for president under Angat Buhay party in the 2022 elections.
Duterte, on the other hand, ran for vice president in tandem with Robredo’s political rival, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., under the UniTeam.
Robredo and Marcos ran against each other for the vice presidency in the 2016 elections. Robredo beat Marcos.
In the 2022 polls, Robredo and Marcos had another round of contest – this time for the presidency. Marcos won to become the 17th president of the Philippines.