“Aminin ko, nag critic rin ako kay Vice President. Marami rin ako nasabing hindi maganda, at nanghihingi ako ng tawad (I admit I was a critic of the Vice President. There were some unpleasant things I have said before and for that I apologize),” Alvarez addressed Robredo during a press conference at the Provincial Capitol in Davao del Norte.
Alvarez, Davao del Norte First District representative and president of the Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma (Partido Reporma), said it was a personal decision to endorse the candidacy for president of Robredo now.
The Vice President, who was present at the said press conference, said there are no personal disagreements between them.
“Unang-una, you do not need to apologize kasi over the course of our service for the country, may mga hindi talaga pagkakasunduan. Yung mga magkakampi, hindi naman expected na magkasundo sa lahat ng bagay. Wala naman kaming personal na disagreement,” Robredo said.
Alvarez mentioned he protested against the late dictator Marcos’s martial law regime when he was still a law student in Davao City during the 1980s.
“Ayoko naman na ang pinaglaban ko noon ay hindi ko ipaglalaban ngayon. Gusto ko lang ituloy yung unang laban na sinalihan ko, itutuloy ko sa pangalawang laban na ito — Marcos versus Leni (I do not want the things I have fought for before to go to waste that is why I want to continue the fight I have started before and support Leni versus Marcos),” he said.
At the same time, Alvarez said he did not have a formal discussion with Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson regarding the matter and he did not attempt to convince the presidential candidate to also support Robredo’s campaign.
“Personal decision kasi yan… Ayoko personally na kumbinsihin si Senator Ping. Mas maganda kung hayaan natin siyang magdesisyon (It’s a personal decision. I do not want to convince Senator Ping, it’s better if we let him decide),” Alvarez said.
Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib also gave a statement regarding his support to Robredo’s candidacy, saying the Vice President is the best candidate to lead the masses.
“Pinakinggan natin ang mga tao at ng mga lider ng Davao del Norte. Sa dalawang presidentiables sa kahit anong survey, pinili po nating suportahan si VP Leni Robredo (We listened to the leaders of Davao del Norte. Between the two presidential candidates in any survey, we chose to support VP Leni Robredo),” Jubahib said.
“Inisip po natin ang kapakanan ng mamamayan (We are considering the best interest of the people) so we choose a leader who will help us realize the aspiration of the Filipino people,” he added.
Meanwhile, senatorial candidate Emmanuel Piñol, who is endorsed by the tandem of presidential and vice presidential candidates Senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Vicente “Tito” Sotto, said he will not switch sides for the duration of the 2022 national elections.
“Prinsipyo ang nakataya dito. Hindi ako sasama sa paglipat sa kabilang grupo (Our principles are at stake. I will not join in switching to the other group),” he said in an online post on March 24.
Piñol is also a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition wherein Sotto is currently the chairman.
