Robredo woos Negrense voters to go straight 'Otso Diretso' on election day
Published Apr 29, 2019 06:09 pm
By Raymund Antonio
Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Monday stepped up her call for Negrenses to deliver the coveted votes for the eight senatorial candidates of the “Otso Diretso” slate.
Vice President Leni Robredo joined the representatives of various sectors at the provincial launch for Cebu of Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon, held in Cebu City on Sunday, April 28, 2019. Joining her were all eight candidates under the Otso Diretso senatorial slateSenator Bam Aquino, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, former senator Mar Roxas, former congressman Erin Tañada, former soliticor general Pilo Hilbay, former ARMM assemblywoman Samira Gutoc, and veteran lawyers Romy Macalintal and Chel Diokno. During the launch, the candidates signed a covenant, where they vowed to uphold the welfare and the agenda of the sectoral groups when they win in the Senate. (Photo by Charlie Villegas/OVP)
Negros Occidental, the fifth most vote-rice province in the Philippines, has 1.9 million registered voters for the May 13 polls.
The province is part of Western Visayas, which is also comprised of Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras, which is a known bailwick of Otso Diretso bet Mar Roxas and once ruling Liberal Party, of which Robredo is chair.
“Iyong Negros isa sa mga lugar na kailangan nating bigyan ng pag-asa, dahil iyon nga, sa kasaysayan pinakita niya iyong katatagan, pinakita niya iyong paninindigan—at hindi kakaiba iyong panahon na ito,” she said.
(Negros is one of the areas we should hope for, because in history, it had showed strength and stood up—and this time is no different.)
The Vice President recalled during the Marcos dictatorship, there was a “stronger pushback” from Negrenses.
“Ang pakiramdam ko, sa 2019 elections ipapakita ulit ng Bacolod saka ng Negros iyong kaniyang paninindigan (I feel in the 2019 elections, Bacolod and Negros will again take a stand),” Robredo added.
Robredo campaigned for Otso Diretso candidates when she met with “Ahon Laylayan” coalition members in Bacolod City.
More than 2,000 people from different sectors gathered for the launching of the coalition, which was attended by four opposition senatorial candidates. They were human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, reelectionist Senator Bam Aquino, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc and former congressman Erin Tañada.
This was the second time the Otso Diretso bets wooed the votes of the Negrenses during the campaign period. They were in Bacolod City last February.
On the sidelines of the event, Diokno said they formally asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec), in a communication filed Monday, to probe reports of Philippine National Police (PNP) officials inspecting the poll agency’s warehouse in Baguio City.
In his letter, he raised concerns that the incident might cast doubt on the integrity of the May 13 elections.
“Regardless of the PNP official’s intention, the visit and access of a non-comelec personnel to what should have been a restricted facility raises a serious concern,” the communication filed by Diokno camp read.
“This should be taken very seriously by Comelec as this incident can cast doubt not only on its independence, but on the very integrity of the upcoming polls,” it said.
“We urge the Honorable Commission to immediately conduct an investigation, come out with a report and, along with it, an assurance to the public that such breach will never happen again,” it added.
In Bacolod City, Diokno urged the poll body to clarify the PNP’s role during the elections.
“We call on the Comelec to release the report and clear with the PNP on what the police can do in the time of the elections, because of many misconception, both within the PNP and sometimes within the lower echelons of the Comelec,” he said.
The human rights lawyer then appealed to the police not to let themselves be used by politicians to violate election laws.
Vice President Leni Robredo joined the representatives of various sectors at the provincial launch for Cebu of Ahon Laylayan Koalisyon, held in Cebu City on Sunday, April 28, 2019. Joining her were all eight candidates under the Otso Diretso senatorial slateSenator Bam Aquino, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, former senator Mar Roxas, former congressman Erin Tañada, former soliticor general Pilo Hilbay, former ARMM assemblywoman Samira Gutoc, and veteran lawyers Romy Macalintal and Chel Diokno. During the launch, the candidates signed a covenant, where they vowed to uphold the welfare and the agenda of the sectoral groups when they win in the Senate. (Photo by Charlie Villegas/OVP)
Negros Occidental, the fifth most vote-rice province in the Philippines, has 1.9 million registered voters for the May 13 polls.
The province is part of Western Visayas, which is also comprised of Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras, which is a known bailwick of Otso Diretso bet Mar Roxas and once ruling Liberal Party, of which Robredo is chair.
“Iyong Negros isa sa mga lugar na kailangan nating bigyan ng pag-asa, dahil iyon nga, sa kasaysayan pinakita niya iyong katatagan, pinakita niya iyong paninindigan—at hindi kakaiba iyong panahon na ito,” she said.
(Negros is one of the areas we should hope for, because in history, it had showed strength and stood up—and this time is no different.)
The Vice President recalled during the Marcos dictatorship, there was a “stronger pushback” from Negrenses.
“Ang pakiramdam ko, sa 2019 elections ipapakita ulit ng Bacolod saka ng Negros iyong kaniyang paninindigan (I feel in the 2019 elections, Bacolod and Negros will again take a stand),” Robredo added.
Robredo campaigned for Otso Diretso candidates when she met with “Ahon Laylayan” coalition members in Bacolod City.
More than 2,000 people from different sectors gathered for the launching of the coalition, which was attended by four opposition senatorial candidates. They were human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, reelectionist Senator Bam Aquino, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc and former congressman Erin Tañada.
This was the second time the Otso Diretso bets wooed the votes of the Negrenses during the campaign period. They were in Bacolod City last February.
On the sidelines of the event, Diokno said they formally asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec), in a communication filed Monday, to probe reports of Philippine National Police (PNP) officials inspecting the poll agency’s warehouse in Baguio City.
In his letter, he raised concerns that the incident might cast doubt on the integrity of the May 13 elections.
“Regardless of the PNP official’s intention, the visit and access of a non-comelec personnel to what should have been a restricted facility raises a serious concern,” the communication filed by Diokno camp read.
“This should be taken very seriously by Comelec as this incident can cast doubt not only on its independence, but on the very integrity of the upcoming polls,” it said.
“We urge the Honorable Commission to immediately conduct an investigation, come out with a report and, along with it, an assurance to the public that such breach will never happen again,” it added.
In Bacolod City, Diokno urged the poll body to clarify the PNP’s role during the elections.
“We call on the Comelec to release the report and clear with the PNP on what the police can do in the time of the elections, because of many misconception, both within the PNP and sometimes within the lower echelons of the Comelec,” he said.
The human rights lawyer then appealed to the police not to let themselves be used by politicians to violate election laws.