LAOAG CITY, Philippines—If the number of supporters and the absence of the usual warm reception from Ilocanos are to be the gauge, Liberal Party (LP) vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo may not have drawn any support from the so-called “Solid North” which has backed rival, Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Robredo visited Marcos’ home province on Friday in what may be one of her low-key sorties yet.
Touching down early at the Laoag International Airport via a private plane, Robredo was welcomed by a handful of LP members and supporters, who had no drum and lyre bands or eye-catching banners and placards.
Students at the privately-owned Northwestern University, however, serenaded Robredo and applauded her when she set foot on campus for a forum.
No hero’s burial
When students asked if she was intimidated being in Marcos territory, Robredo said, “I have nothing to lose.”
“I think I owe everyone a chance to know me so they would have an alternative [choice],” she said. “The last elections in which I participated, I was running against a very powerful politician in my district… but I have so much faith in the Filipino electorate.”
“I believe people today scrutinize the candidate’s character and are more open to alternatives,” she said.
In February, Robredo had expressed her objections to a hero’s burial for Marcos’ father, former strongman Ferdinand Marcos, whose preserved remains are housed at the family mausoleum in Batac City.
Robredo is ranked second to Marcos and Sen. Francis Escudero in the latest Pulse Asia survey.
Acknowledge atrocities
Instead of backtracking, Robredo said the Marcoses should acknowledge that atrocities took place during martial law and should apologize for them.
“Thirty years after [overthrowing Marcos], we still have a lot of issues to settle. Many human rights abuses have not been rectified. Plundered money has not been returned to the government,” she said.
“Had all these been settled before, we would have moved on and would not keep returning to the past,” she said. “I hope we all could remain true to the lessons of history. It would be difficult if we don’t learn from them.”
Robredo later met with Carmelite nuns at the Diocese of Laoag. She also met Rev. Fr. Joey Ranjo, who represented Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba, at the Carmelite monastery. The bishop had attended a prior commitment, the Inquirer was told.
Asked if the diocese would support Robredo, Ranjo said each priest or church worker has his or her preferred candidates, “but we all pray for all candidates so that they may properly serve the public.”
Robredo also met Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas at his residence. Fariñas, however, declined to reveal details of the meeting.
“Everybody is welcome to visit Ilocos Norte. But for Leni’s visit, neither the governor’s office nor the [police] were informed about it,” sad Jun Arvin Gudoy, head of the communications and media office of the Ilocos Norte government.
“Had [the LP] coordinated her visit, we would have welcomed and assisted her as we had when we were visited by presidential candidates Rodrigo Duterte and Grace Poe,” Gudoy said.