Robredo brushes off rumors that Defensors leaving LP for PDP-Laban
Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday brushed off rumors that Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor would jump ship from the Liberal Party (LP) to join the ruling Partido Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
She also said that it would be better to reserve comment on the issue if it would actually happen.
“Sa atin naman iyong pagsali naman sa political party walang pilitan. Sumasali ka para ipahayag na nagkakaisa kayo sa pinapaniwalaan,” the vice president said.
[For us, joining a political party is not mandatory. You are joining to express your unity in vision.]
Robredo was in Iloilo to launch her “Istorya ng Pag-asa” core advocacy program.
The vice president further said it would be at the discretion of LP members what party they would want to join.
“Iyong sa akin naman palagi kong sinasabi sa mga kasama ko sa [LP] na tingnan natin ito as an opportunity for party rebuilding,” she added.
[For me, I always tell my fellow members in the Liberal Party to look at it as an opportunity for party rebuilding.]
She then praised Defensor as a public official and as a “staunch supporter.”
Defensor and his son, Iloilo Rep. Arthur Defensor Jr., were invited by PDP-Laban member House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to join the ruling party last August. /atm
