Drilon confident Robredo will win VP race

Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. FILE PHOTO BY LAURO MONTELLANO JR. / Malacañang Photo Bureau

She may be lagging behind her rivals in surveys, but Camarines Sur representative Leni Robredo would still emerge as the winner in the 2016 vice presidential race, Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Monday.

Drilon, vice chairman of the Liberal Party (LP) likened Robredo’s standing in pre-election surveys to the party’s standard-bearer, former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, whose ratings have surged and is now in a close fight with other leading contenders.

“Alam mo noong apat na porsyento lang si Mar Roxas, sinasabi n’yo o mananalo ba yan? E ngayon, ‘yan naman, andyan na naman ang media, e pitong porsyento lang mananalo ba ‘yan, pang-lima. Mananalo ‘yan!” he said when sought to react on the latest Pulse Asia survey, showing Robredo at the last spot in a five-way race next year.

(You know, when Mar Roxas had only 4 percent, you were asking if he’s going to win. Now, the media is here again saying that [Robredo] has only 7 percent, will she win when she’s at fifth? She will win!)

READ: ‘Leni Robredo will beat Escudero’ for VP, says Osmeña

The survey, conducted from Sept. 8 to 14, showed that Senator Francis Escudero was the voters’ top choice for president with 43 percent, followed by Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. with 19 percent, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano with 16 percent, Senator Antonio Trillanes with 9 percent, and Robredo with only 7 percent.

READ: Escudero tops Pulse VP poll; Marcos 2nd in 5-way race

Robredo only announced her vice presidential bid last October 5.

“Si Leni Robredo, she represents women, she is the best example of what good governance is all about. She has always stood by the principle of Matuwid na Daan and the sincerity of the person is very clear,” Drilon added. IDL