Robredo on petition vs. Marcos' COC : No need, I already beat him

Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday denied that her camp is behind the petition seeking to void the certificate of candidacy of former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., saying she has beaten the latter in the last elections without resorting to such moves.

"It doesn’t make sense. Kung gusto namin siya ipa-disqualify, dapat sana noong laban pa namin ng vice president. Saka kung ang purpose ng disqualification para maalis siya sa contest na ito, hindi naman kailangan," Robredo said in a news conference in Bacolod during her visit together with vice presidential aspirant, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.

(If we wanted him disqualified, we would have done so when we fought in the 2016 vice presidential race. If the purpose of the disqualification case is to remove him from the 2022 race, such move is not needed.)

"Naglaban na kami noong 2016, nanalo naman kami na walang ganyan. So sa akin, I cannot comment further on that kasi may pending case and bawal siyang pag-usapan, pero huwag kaming ituro. Kasi hindi kami ganyan lumaban," she added.

(We already battled each other in 2016, and we won without seeking his disqualification. I cannot comment further on that effort given the pending case, but they should not point the finger at us. We don't wage our battle that way.)

Robredo beat Marcos in the 2016 vice presidential race by 263,473 votes.

Robredo issued the response when asked about the insinuations that her camp had something to do with the petition.

The petition, filed by a group of human rights advocates before the Commission on Elections, sought to cancel Marcos Jr.'s certificate of candidacy  based on his conviction on four criminal cases violating Tax Code.

The petitioners argued that the conviction constitutes a crime of moral turpitude and thus, disqualifies Marcos as provided under the Omnibus Election Law.

Marcos' camp said it would address the "predicable nuisance"  at the right time and forum.

Earlier in the day, lawyer Howard Calleja said that a number of groups will also seek Marcos' disqualification by citing the conviction on the four criminal cases violating the Tax Code.

Aspirants respond to issues

On “24 Oras,” aspirants to the presidency pitched their views on pressing issues of the day.

Senator Panfilo Lacson of the Partido Reporma, when asked, said it would be difficult to make vaccination mandatory, as being mulled by the government, saying protecting oneself with the vaccine is a personal choice.

“Ang gawin dapat ng gobyerno, i-convince, i-persuade kung ga’no ka importante ang bakuna tapos bigyan ng incentive yung mga fully vaccinated,” Lacsn said as he toured around his Cavite province.

He also said he believes it’s time for Senate blue ribbon committee to conclude its report on the investigation on the procurement of COVID-19 supplies.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno cited the need to shore up the country’s tourism flattened by the pandemic’s impact.

Senator Manny Pacquiao pointed out the government’s ballooning debt, and said focus should be on revenue collection.

In Cagayan de Oro City, several transport workers held a caravan to urge Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to run for president.—LDF, GMA News