Male VP bets should watch out for Leni Robredo, LP official says

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo would have the advantage of being the lone woman in the 2016 vice presidential race to be dominated by men, a Liberal Party (LP) official said Tuesday.

In a press conference, Majority floor leader Neptali Gonzales II said Robredo is sure to be spared from criticism from her rival candidates who are men.

Gonzales said it is only in Filipino culture that men usually take care in criticizing women. In the context of the elections, the male vice presidential candidates are sure to be more careful hitting the lone woman candidate Robredo.

Robredo is the vice president bet of LP standard bearer Mar Roxas. The other vice presidential aspirants are men: Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero (running mate of Sen. Grace Poe), Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, and Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“It’s going to be a problem for the men in next year’s elections. In our culture, women are usually spared from criticisms by men,” Gonzales said in Filipino.

“Mahirap sa kultura ng Pilipino na yung babae pagtutulungan niyo (Ganging up on a woman is not part of the Filipino culture),” he added.

Gonzales said the men should “watch out” for Robredo, not only because she is a woman, but because she is a strong, intelligent lawyer and congresswoman vying for the second highest position of the country.

“Leni is a breath of fresh air as far as the Liberal Party is concerned. Nakikita ko sa kaniya yung manner that she speaks, sincere at makikita mo ang kaniyang intelligence (I can see in the manner that she speaks that she is sincere, and her intelligence is apparent),” Gonzales added.

The Mandaluyong congressman, who is also LP parliamentary caucus chair, said Robredo is expected to increase her dismal ratings in the surveys after more exposure to showcase her intelligence to the voting public.

“This much I will say: Watch out for Leni.  Ang kailangan lang ni Leni is exposure, ang marinig siya ng tao magsalita. Ako narinig ko siyang magsalita and I’ve witnessed how she spoke; her manner na nag-re-reflect yung kaniyang intelligence and how she’s able to manage her emotions,” Gonzales said.

(What Leni needs is exposure and the public to hear her talk. I’ve heard her talk and I’ve witnessed how she spoke; her manner reflects her intelligence and how she’s able to manage her emotions.)

“Magaling [siya] (She’s excellent). I’m sure anybody who will be able to hear her would be convinced,” he added.

‘I am not Jesse, but…’

During the LP gathering on Monday, Robredo took up the cudgels to be Roxas’ vice president after initially being hesitant, especially with her three daughters opposing the idea of their mother vying for the second topmost position.

In accepting the challenge, Robredo said she accepted Roxas’ offer because she was sure this was what her late husband, Interior Sec. Jesse Robredo, would have wanted.

Jesse Robredo died in a plane crash in 2012.

“I am not Jesse. But when he died, it was clear to us, his family, that he was hoping that we too will have to sacrifice to the best of our abilities, similar to his sacrifices, to contribute to our nation,” Robredo said.

Robredo ran and won the congressional district in Camarines Sur buoyed by the public sentiment for her husband, who espoused the modest “tsinelas” leadership when he was Naga city mayor.

The neophyte congresswoman, when she won, whipped the Villafuerte political dynasty, which has ruled the district for at least 40 years.

President Benigno Aquino III compared Rep. Robredo to his mother, the late former president Corazon Aquino, who was also buoyed by public sentiment to run, following the assassination of her husband Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., the opposition senator, against the Marcos dictatorship. JE