Not ‘waltzing’ with rivals: 1Sambayan ‘happy’ over Robredo’s talks with other bets

FILE PHOTO: Vice President Leni Robredo.

MANILA, Philippines — Opposition coalition 1Sambayan is “happy” that Vice President Leni Robredo is holding talks with other prospective bets for 2022, saying such effort does not mean she is “waltzing” with her possible rivals.

1Sambayan lead convenor former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales deemed as “very good” Robredo’s talks with the Lacson-Sotto tandem and other possible candidates for next year’s elections as this would synchronize the group’s plan to field a single slate to go against candidates of the current administration.

“I see Leni’s efforts to be talking to others who have already deemed their hope or their intention to run as very good. Because I can see that she’s trying to unify the opposition. In other words, like the 1Sambayan, Leni, I think, wants to have one set of candidates to be fielded in the next elections,” Carpio-Morales said during the TAPATan 1Sambayan forum on Wednesday.

“1Sambayan is happy about this development because it would synchronize with the plan of 1Sambayan to have just one set of candidates to go against the candidates of the President and his allies, many of whom—I’m referring to the allies—have already signified their intention to run for president and vice president,” she added.

Robredo earlier held separate meetings with Senator Panfilo Lacson and Senate President Vicente Sotto III as well as Senator Richard Gordon as part of her “commitment to forge the broadest possible unity among groups and individuals seeking change in 2022.”

Lacson already confirmed he will run for president in 2022 with Sotto as his vice presidential running mate while Gordon earlier expressed interest in seeking the presidency.

These meetings, however, drew the ire of former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who expressed hopes that Robredo had not yet stepped aside to give way to Lacson.

But Carpio-Morales countered Trillanes, saying Robredo talking with Lacson and other bets does not mean the vice president is already “waltzing” with them.

“That she is talking to Lacson and Sotto does not necessarily mean that she’s already aligning herself with them. She is in fact, from my view, trying to get them to unite with one opposition candidate,” the former ombudsman said.

“I’m sorry Senator Trillanes, I do not think that by talking to Sotto and to Lacson, Leni is already waltzing with them. No, she is not,” she added.

Another 1Sambayan lead convenor, Fr. Albert Alejo, meanwhile said the group is planning to invite Robredo for a meeting with the coalition’s 24-member convenors’ group as part of the selection process in its search for its presidential bet in 2022.

While Robredo has already met with a small interview team within 1Sambayan, she has yet to sit down with the coalition’s convenors, according to Alejo.

He added that they also intend to discuss with her recent talks with other prospective candidates for 2022 during the meeting.

Alejo further said they plan to talk to both Robredo and Trillanes about any misunderstanding that may arise because of recent developments.

“Mabuti pa si VP Leni humarap na dun sa 1Sambayan convenors para marinig rin natin yung kanyang interpretation sa ginagawa niya, ano ba talaga yung ginagawa. Siguro within this week or early next week, magkakaroon ng panahon si VP Leni na humarap sa 1Sambayan convenors group,” Alejo said in the same forum.

(I think it would be better if VP Leni faces the 1Sambayan’s convenors so we can hear from her, her interpretation of what she’s doing, what she is really doing. Maybe within this week or early next week, VP Leni will have the time to face the 1Sambayan’s convenors group.)

“Ang suggestion natin ngayon ay humarap na si VP Leni sa buong convenors group na 20 plus na members. At doon siguro mas magandang mahinog yung aming pagtingin sa nangyayaring paguusap,” he added.

(Our suggestion is for VP Leni to meet with the whole convenors group, which has 20 plus members. And there, we can really talk about what we think about her ongoing talks.)

JPV