Robredo on alleged destabilization if she loses polls: I never said that
BOGO CITY, Cebu — Vice President Leni Robredo said Thursday that she never uttered anything about a destabilization plot or a chaotic scenario happening if she loses her presidential bid, reiterating that she wants to focus on the upcoming election rather than dwell on such issues.
Robredo stressed that journalists joining her on the campaign trail can attest that she never made such a statement in her rallies and in ambush interviews. This, she said, is contrary to what is being floated by her rivals.
“Ako maraming media nagko-cover sa akin anywhere I go, siguro ibabalik ko ‘yong question sa media, narinig niyo na ba ako at any point na sinabi ko ‘yon?” Robredo asked during an interview after her rally in the said city.
(You know, a lot of media workers have been covering me anywhere I go, maybe I can throw the question back to the media: have you heard me saying such claims at any point?)
“Kasi ako never ko ‘yon sinabi, ayaw ko siyang… ‘yong sa akin lang ayaw ko na siyang patulan dahil may mas malaking laban tayong hinaharap. Hindi ito away ng mga kandidato pero pinaglalaban natin ‘yong bayan natin,” she added.
(Because I am sure that I never said such words. I do not want to pay attention to these things because we have a bigger battle to face. This is not a mere fight between candidates as what we have been fighting for is our country.)
The alleged destabilization plot was first floated during the Easter Sunday joint press conference of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and fellow presidential bets Senator Panfilo Lacson, and former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales.
At the press conference, Lacson was asked about the alleged destabilization threat if Robredo loses in the elections.
Even Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos was asked on Monday about the alleged destabilization threat that was supposedly raised by Robredo.
“Did she (categorically) make that statement? Sinabi niya? Sinabi ni Ma’am VP?” Carlos asked when asked about the alleged claims of Robredo. “We will look into it, we can get it also, we can get and look.”
READ: PNP to get Lacson report on alleged poll sabotage, saying no threat as of now
Robredo said the upcoming elections now need her attention and focus.
“So ako hindi ako, ‘yong focus ko hindi madidistract no’ng mga nangyayari, ‘yong focus ko nasa ‘ano ba ‘yong goal natin’? ‘Yong goal natin dito dapat beyond ito sa ating mga kandidato pero ‘yong bayan ‘yong ating pinapakipag-laban dito,” she said.
(So for me, my focus is the campaign and I won’t be distracted by these things. My focus is on our goal. What is our goal? Our goal should be beyond candidates because we are fighting for the future of the country here in the elections.)
Recent voter preference surveys have shown Robredo still trailing second to frontrunner former senator Bongbong Marcos. Robredo, however, in Pulse Asia’s March survey managed to gain 9 percentage points, raising her score from 15 percent to 24 percent.
Marcos meanwhile dropped 4 percentage points, from 60 percent to 56 percent. Behind Robredo in the survey ranking is Moreno with 8 percent, Senator Manny Pacquiao with 6 percent, and Lacson with 2 percent.
READ: Marcos still leads new Pulse Asia survey, but Robredo’s number rises by 9 points
