Mar-Leni tandem pushed
Malacañang said yesterday that a Mar Roxas-Leni Robredo tandem for the May 2016 elections will be a good team-up to ensure that good governance will continue beyond President Aquino’s term.
Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Palace believes in the capability of Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo who is being asked by Liberal Party standardbearer Roxas to be his running mate for the 2016 presidential elections.
“I cannot imagine the difficulty, the pressure that she is (receiving), especially the daughters who have stated their preference. But, you know, we’re running on a platform of Daang Matuwid. We have committed ourselves to good governance,” Lacierda said.
“The late husband of Leni, si Jesse, was a Cabinet member. He was known for good governance. We are fighting on a platform of good governance,” he said.
“What better tandem can we have than to see Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo who (are) both principled players of good governance. Both (of whom) shared the vision of President Aquino in Daang Matuwid,” Lacierda said.
The Palace official said his #JumpwithLeni Facebook post is now gaining a lot of support as more people are now calling on Robredo to run for vice president under the LP.
“They want (to) jump with Leni. It’s a leap of faith not just by Leni Robredo and her daughters. It is also a leap of faith for all of us who share the vision of good governance because we believe that a Mar Roxas and a Leni Robredo tandem will move the country forward beyond 2016,” Lacierda said.
Lacierda, meanwhile, said the Palace is unfazed by reports that many politicians who are LP members are now joining the Nationalist People’s Coalition to support Sen. Grace Poe and Sen. Chiz Escudero who will be running for president and vice president under the NPC.
He pointed out that Aquino’s endorsement power remains firm and powerful.
“You’re looking at a President with eight months left in his administration. You’re also looking at a President whose approval numbers are stratospheric – 64 (percent), that’s high – and you’re also looking at the potential impact of those high numbers, not only to the presidential standard-bearer or the vice presidential standardbearer, but as well as to the local politicians running in their districts, in their provinces, in their cities, in their municipalities. You would have to consider that,” Lacierda said.