Robredo welcomes SC’s Edca ruling

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court decision upholding the constitutionality of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) between the Philippines and the United States, saying the court ruling on the defense pact should settle the issue.

Robredo, a lawyer and vice presidential candidate of the ruling Liberal Party, said that since the constitutionality of Edca lies in the hands of the Supreme Court, its decision should be respected.

Robredo made this statement in an interview here on Thursday during the first of her three-day six-province visit to the Bicol region dubbed as “BicoLeniExpress,” which is designed to woo her fellow Bicolanos.

Robredo said eradicating hunger and poverty, especially in the countryside, would be her primary goal should she win the vice presidency.

Dialogue with sectors

According to Robredo, the food security bill she has filed, while still pending in Congress, is now operational in the third district of Camarines Sur.

The widow of the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo held a dialogue with various civil society organizations, youth, senior citizens and women’s group during the first day of her tour, which kicked off in Sorsogon, her late father’s home province.

In Daraga, Albay, Robredo was welcomed by a crowd of over 3,000 supporters led by Gov. Joey Salceda and Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal during a dialogue held at the Bicol College gymnasium.

In Ligao City, she was met by supporters, clad in the Liberal Party’s signature yellow shirts, led by Albay Rep. Fernando Gonzalez and City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua.

The BicoLeniExpress project was initiated by civil society groups in the region supporting Robredo’s candidacy.

Robredo is running against three fellow Bicolanos—Senators Francis Escudero, Gringo Honasan and Antonio Trillanes IV—and Bongbong Marcos and Alan Peter Cayetano. Mar S. Arguelles and Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon/TVJ