Presidential bets say they won't withdraw bids in Eleksyon 2022

Some presidential candidates on Sunday announced that they will unite and will not withdraw their respective presidential bids three weeks before the May 9 polls.

Presidential candidates Senator Panfilo Lacson, former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno held a press conference at a hotel in Makati City, and vowed to serve the government that whomever of them will lead, if one of them gets elected to the country’s top post.

“Kami, pangalawa ay magsasanib pwersa upang labanan ang anumang pagtatangka upang baluktutin ang totoong pagpapasya ng taumbayan sa pamamagitan ng paggalaw na hindi kanais-nais o maglilimita sa malayang pagpili ng ating kababayan,” Moreno said, reading from their joint statement.  

(We will join forces to fight any act to distort the real decision of the people or will limit the free choice of our countrymen.)

He stressed that none of them would withdraw from the race and they will all continue their individual campaigns.

Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno (2nd from left) reads a joint statement on Sunday, April 17, 2022, as fellow presidential bets Norberto Gonzales (3rd from left) and Panfilo Lacson (fourth from left) together with vice presidential candidates Dr. Willie Ong (left) and Senate President Vicente Sotto III (rightmost) join him at a press conference. The presidential bets are declaring they will continue their campaign and will not quit the race for Eleksyon 2022. Danny Pata

“Hinding hindi kami magbibitiw sa kampanya. Ang bawat isa sa amin ay magpapatuloy sa aming mga sariling kandidatura upang maging karapat-dapat na pagpilian ang sambayanan,” Moreno continued.

(We will never withdraw from the campaign. Each of us will pursue our own campaigns so we could be more worthy to be choses by the people.)

Asked for comment, the camp of Vice-President Leni Robredo on Sunday said they will remain focused on their own campaign.

In a statement, Robredo's spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez said they are thankful that the alignments have been made “even clearer.”

“With three weeks to go before election day, we are at a time of great momentum for our People’s Campaign, and increasing clarity as regards which candidates can count on the people's support when they enter voting booths on May 9,” he said.

He noted that every candidate has the prerogative to continue his candidacy until the end, with the same choice for him to disregard surveys, rally attendance, endorsements, or any other conventional measure of support.

“We wish every candidate who decides to push through to the end, only the best. But in making these choices, should we not ask ourselves: Must this assertion be made through bluster and falsehood?” Gutierrez pointed out.

“Who benefits from such theatrics? What is best for the Filipino people? Perhaps, silence would have had more depth; at the very least, it would exhibit less self-entitlement, fragility, and toxicity,” he added.

Pacquiao

Meanwhile, Senator Manny Pacquiao supposedly signified his intention to sign the joint statement according to Moreno. However, he was still on the way to Manila from General Santos City at the time of the press conference.

"Just to confirm, I personally talked to Senator Manny Pacquiao while we were together with Senator Lacson, Mayor Isko Moreno and Secretary Gonzales, and Dr. Willie Ong," Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Lacson's running mate, said.

"He is one with the group, definitely; nakikiisa sa layunin nitong usapan (He is one with us in the aim of this press conference). At he just had to fly to GenSan for an emergency last night. So, he was taking off while kausap namin siya (while we were talking) on the phone at hahabol siya rito (he will join us here later) as mentioned by Senator Lacson; na kung hindi man ‘yung video niya ay magkakaroon tayo ng kopya (In case he can't make it, he will send a video statement)."

Pacquiao's camp confirmed to reporters that the senator will proceed to the venue of the press conference "immediately once his plane lands any minute now."

Other options

Lacson said they had to pursue the unification to show people that there are other options for the presidency aside from frontrunner former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo. 

“Parang nili-limit na lang ‘yung choice or choices sa dalawa. Nakakahon na lang and that’s the reason why we have to do this. That among 111 million Filipinos or so, hindi lang dalawa ‘yung pagpipilian. Actually, meron pang ibang tumatakbo,” he said.

(There are really many attempts and it seems that the choice or choices are limited to the two. The choices are in a box. And that’s the reason why we have to do this. That among 111 million Filipinos or so, there are not just two options. Actually, there are others running.)

“Pare-pareho ang experience namin. Kaming dalawa ni Mayor Isko, actually, bukod pa doon sa kinakausap, gusto pa kaming hubaran. They were trying to strip us of our supporters, ‘yung mga support group,” Lacson added.

(Our experiences are the same. Some wanted to strip Mayor Isko and I of our supporters and our support groups.)

Partido Reporma previously announced its backing of the presidential candidacy of Robredo, shortly after its standard bearer, Lacson, resigned from the party.

Meanwhile, a chapter of the volunteer group Ikaw Muna (IM) Pilipinas who initially supported the candidacy of Moreno also recently shifted to endorsing Robredo.

It could be recalled that Robredo, the lead opposition figure in the election, earlier met with Moreno, Pacquiao and others planning to run for president and vice president in the hopes of forging a united opposition.

However, Moreno, Pacquiao, and Robredo all ended up joining the 2022 presidential race.

Former Palace spokesperson Ernesto Abella, who was supposed to be part of the press conference, did not attend the Sunday event.

Apart from Moreno, Lacson, Pacquiao, Abella, Gonzales, Marcos and Robredo, the other candidates for president in the May 9 elections are labor leader Leody de Guzman, businessman Faisal Mangondato, and physician-lawyer Jose Montemayor Jr.

Withdrawing?

Asked if there were people who urged them to withdraw their candidacy for the 2022 elections, Gonzales dropped the name of former Commission on Elections commissioner Rowena Guanzon who is expressing her support for Robredo.

“Publicly, kinausap ako, nagsalita sa public si former Commissioner Guanzon. Sinabi niya, ‘My friend Bert, magpaka-bayani ka. Umatras ka na. Tulungan mo ‘yung kandidato,’” he said.

(Guanzon spoke to the public and said I could be a hero by backing out and supporting her candidate.)

Gonzales added there were two other people who asked him to withdraw but he did not name names as he said they were his friends and have high positions in society.

Guanzon for her part did not confirm if she talked to Gonzales before.

In a tweet on Sunday however, Guanzon asked Gonzales why he “fell into that trap.”

“Bert Gonzales why did u fall into that trap ? Why are u talking as if there is a funeral. May namatay ba ? #LeniRobredo2022,” she said.

“Bert, u said ikaw ang kulelat so why dont u withdraw ? U are loyal to GMA. But if u dont want to withdraw di huwag mo,” she added in a separate tweet.

Bert, u said ikaw ang kulelat so why dont u withdraw ? U are loyal to GMA. But if u dont want to withdraw di huwag mo.

— Rowena Guanzon (@rowena_guanzon) April 17, 2022

Moreno on the other hand claimed that the “dilawans or pinklawans” were saying that he will withdraw from the race in May and in return will be appointed as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Alam ito ng mga group chats ng mga dilawan o pinklawan [the group chats of the dilawan or pinklawan know this] that they keep continuing to send a message that on May 1, I will withdraw, and I will be appointed as Secretary of DILG. How far is that truth? I don’t know,” he said.

Moreno said those who allegedly bought his and Lacson’s supporters came from one “color.”

Meanwhile, Lacson said people already know who tried to talk him down as he already named names.

Lacson earlier claimed that the camp of Robredo asked him to withdraw from the presidential race in exchange for his running mate Senator Vicente Sotto III to be Robredo's vice presidential bet instead of Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan.

He also alleged that former Quezon City Mayor Jun Simon had asked him to step down and, in return, Pangilinan would be requested to do the same.

“Obvious na kumausap sa ’kin ‘yung camp ni Vice President Robredo. May follow up pa nga. Former Mayor Jun Simon, in my face, sinabi sa ’kin na kung pwede kang mag-withraw, paatrasin namin si Kiko Pangilinan. Anong klaseng offer ‘yan? Ka-tandem niyo ilalaglag niyo para manalo ‘yung principal?”

(It is obvious that Vice President Robredo’s camp talked to me. There was even a follow-up. Former Mayor Jun Simon, in my face, told me that if I can withdraw, they would ask the same of Kiko Pangilinan. What kind of offer is that? You will drop your running-mate so the principal candidate would win?)

Lacson said Robredo’s camp “ransacked” Partido Reporma but they were only able to sway party president Pantaleon Alvarez.

House Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza also previously said he is seriously considering withdrawing from the vice presidential race, and will do so if Lacson will abandon his presidential bid.

VP bets

Meanwhile, Sotto expressed support for the presidential candidates' stand.

"So, on my part, ako po’y nakikiisa sa layunin ng mga sinasabi ng ating mga presidential candidates. I fully support the stand that they are making on this. Thank you very much," Sotto said.

(I support the objective of the presidential candidates.)

Ong, Moreno's running mate, also supported the presidential bets in making their stand to finish the race for the top post.

"Bale, tama po sinusuportahan ko ang stand. I think pwede ko naman i-simplify. I think ang stand ng mga presidentiables ay mga respectable politicians sila, public servants sila na tuloy-tuloy ang laban. Kumbaga sa basketball, lahat ng kuponan, talagang gagawin ang lahat para manalo.  Kasi kung babasahin ninyo ang social media, ang news, laging binabalita – baka umatras ‘to, baka umatras yan – yan ang mga brainwashing," Ong said.

(It's true, I support their stand. I think I can simplify it. I think the stand of the presidentiables is that they are respectable politicians, public servants who will continue the race. It's just like in basketball, all teams will do everything to win. If you read social media, news, what is being reported is that this and that candidate might withdraw — that is brainwashing.)

Ong added that he and Sotto will not also withdraw from the race for vice president.

"Masasabi ko lang personal experience ko, laging sasabihin mag-wi-withdraw yan si Doc…hindi serious. Wala pong katotohanan. Talagang todo 100% laban tayo. Nag-usap kami ni Tito Sen at walang usap-usap na ganoon (withdrawal ng candidacy). Talagang todo laban siya, todo laban ako. Para maganda na makita ng taumbayan, kung sino talaga," he said.

(May I add that in my personal experience, people always say that Doc will withdraw, is not serious [about running]. There is no truth to that. I'm 100% in the fight. Tito Sen [referring to Sotto] and I talked and there is no discussion [of withdrawal]. Both of us will finish the fight. It would be good for our countrymen to see who will win.) —With a report from Mel Matthew Doctor/KG/DVM, GMA News