Marcos calls for reconciliation after poll victory

MANILA: The camp of Ferdinand Marcos, the presumptive president, extended the hand of reconciliation and co-operation to political rivals and critics amid protest rallies by certain sectors to denounce alleged cheating in the May 9 national elections.

“For those who are protesting, please stop pushing your agenda for hostility among Filipinos. We are not enemies,” said lawyer Vic Rodriguez, the Marcos spokesman, in a TV interview.

Rodriguez also said they were willing to talk to the camps of Vice President Leni Robredo and the other presidential candidates despite their differences in political beliefs.

“We are willing to talk to the other camps regardless of their political colour, race or belief.

More specifically, Marcos had already announced his willingness to consider other personalities with different political beliefs to work under his administration, according to Rodriguez.

At least three of Marcos’s presidential rivals – Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno – had already officially conceded their defeat. But Robredo, his closest rival, still has to do so.

Marcos, the only son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator, appeared to be on his way to a lopsided victory over Robredo with more than 31 million votes based on partial and unofficial election returns. Robredo stood a distant second with more than 14 million votes.

Asked for comment on the Robredo camp’s refusal to concede despite the wide lead of Marcos, Rodriguez answered: “You do not impose concession. That should not be asked because that should be voluntary on the part of those who want to concede.”

On Friday night, Robredo made her first public appearance in a huge gathering at the sprawling campus of the Ateneo de Manila University run by Jesuitpriestsinsuburbanquezoncity,metromanila.

At the rally, Robredo thanked her thousands of supporters who called themselves “kakampinks” for their political colour. In particular, she urged them to stay around and remain organised so they could help her continue efforts to improve the lives of the poor and the marginalised Filipinos.

Robredo urged them to keep harnessing the spirit of volunteerism launched especially by her young supporters and professionals who spent their own funds to organise her election rallies as well as conduct house-to-house campaigns for her candidacy.

“On the first day of July, we will launch ‘Angat Buhay’ (Uplit Lives) as an NGO (nongovernment organiaation). We will establish the widest volunteer network in our country. We will continue to help those in the margins of our society,” Robredo said as the crowd cheered.