Guv throws ‘cautious’ support to VP Leni

By Joseph B.A. Marzan and Jennifer P. Rendon

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on Thursday expressed his support for Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid in the 2022 National and Local Elections (NLE).

In previous weeks, Defensor deferred on announcing his 2022 presidential bet, saying he would wait for the official endorsement of the National Unity Party (NUP) where he belongs.

But during his regular press conference on Thursday, the governor “carefully” made his pronouncement supporting Robredo.

He even asked to stop the press conference momentarily, leaving his chair and spending some seconds privately before resuming.

Upon returning to his chair, he joked, “Can you ask that next week?” before finally saying his piece.

“For me, based on my experience going to towns and from when I was a congressman, campaigning in the 2016 presidential election, and from feeling the pulse of our kasimanwas in the province of Iloilo, I will support Vice President Leni Robredo,” he said.

Defensor quickly pointed out that his statement of support could not be construed as an endorsement explaining that the term is more used for campaign purposes

He stressed that he does not want to pre-empt his party’s (National Unity Party) official endorsement.

Defensor stopped short of calling his support an “endorsement” but defended his support citing his rapport with Robredo.

He also referred to her as a “good colleague” and cited her sincerity to help.

The governor and the incumbent vice president were both with the Liberal Party at the House of Representatives in the 16th Congress.

Defensor then represented the third district of Iloilo province and the latter the third district of Camarines Sur.

He believes that she could help his agenda dubbed as “MoReProGRes” (Movement for Resurgent, Progressive, Globally Competitive, and Resilient Iloilo).

Defensor’s local party, Uswag Ilonggo, formulated MoReProGRes Iloilo as their battlecry.

It aims to increase investment and employment services in Iloilo.

Its goal was also to ensure food security; accessible health and social services; protection and sustainable management of the resources and assets of the province; and effective, efficient, and transparent government administrative service.

Defensor said he believes that Robredo is with him in his vision to propel the province.

He added that he would reach out to his allies and supporters in the province, but without pre-empting the choice endorsement of the NUP.

“An endorsement is a campaign word. I support [Robredo’s] candidacy. It’s a matter of interpretation. My help for VP Leni, based on working together and as how I know her (sic), she can help us. You can see the look in someone’s eyes, the sincerity to help our cause, in our drive for a resurgent, progressive, and globally-competitive and resilient province of Iloilo, that in the coming year, if I remain [as governor], to give help that the people deserve, and reach our goals at the risk of being repetitive, the social justice agenda of the province,” the governor added.

Accordingly, the governor said he would also support Robredo’s running mate, Senator Kiko Pangilinan for the vice-presidential post.

He said he is not a stranger to Pangilinan, who was the University Student Council chairperson at the University of the Philippines-Diliman when he was still a freshman.

“Whoever the choice of the [presidential candidate] is, we will also support them. Senator Francis Pangilinan is not a stranger to me. He was chairperson of the University Student Council while I was a freshman at UP,” he said.

Iloilo province went heavy for Robredo in 2016, garnering 573,729 votes while her closest rival, the late dictator’s son Ferdinand Marcos Jr., came in at a distant second with only 94,411 votes.

Pangilinan also gained in the province in the 2016 senatorial race, ranking 2nd in the province with 481,206 based on the ABS-CBN unofficial count.