Is ‘united opposition’ in 2022 still possible? Robredo says she can’t lose hope

Vice President Leni Robredo (INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — While Vice President Leni Robredo is not blind to the possibility that a “united opposition” may not happen for the 2022 national elections, she said she is not losing hope.

Robredo said her communication channels remain open for “some” of the possible presidential candidates, but at the end of the day, she admitted she does not have control over their final decisions.

“Hindi ako puwedeng mawalan ng pag-asa hanggang may panahon pa. Mayroon pa tayong two weeks from today. Iyong communication channels naman—not with all candidates pero with some candidates—are still open,” Robredo said in an interview on Tuesday.

(I cannot lose hope until there is time. We still have two weeks from today. Our communication channels are open—not with all candidates but with some candidates.)

“Pero having said that, wala naman kasi akong control sa desisyon ng ibang tao. Wala akong control,” she added.

(Having said that, I do not have control over other people’s decisions. I do not have control.)

According to Robredo, she has been trying her best to make all the contenders understand that the 2022 elections is not just a personal fight, but rather a battle to take back the “soul of our nation.”

“Lahat kami, mayroon kaming supporters. Siyempre, kapag magpapaubaya kami, magagalit iyong supporters namin. So ang pag-explain namin sa mga kausap, ganoon, na ‘lahat tayo similarly situated dito, pero isipin natin iyong bayan natin’,” Robredo said.

(We all have supporters, so of course, if we step aside, they will be upset.  So we explain to other candidates that ‘we are all in a similar situation, but let’s think about our country.’)

“Pero again, while I’m not losing hope yet, ano naman ako, bukas iyong mata ko sa realidad na baka hindi iyon mangyari,” she added.

(But again, while I’m not losing hope yet, I am also not blind to the reality that this may not happen.)

Robredo reiterated that she is taking calls for her to run for president in the 2022 national elections seriously.

Senators Panfilo Lacson, former senator Antontio Trillanes IV, Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno have all declared their respective bids for the presidency.

The Commission on Elections has set the period for the filing of COCs from October 1 to October 8, 2021.

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