Presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo (File photo)
MANILA – Partido Reporma president and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez on Thursday endorsed the presidential candidacy of Vice President Leni Robredo in the upcoming May 9 elections.
Alvarez made the statement after presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Thursday officially resigned as chairperson and member of the Partido Reporma and will now run as an independent candidate.
Alvarez said while Lacson is the "most qualified to be president", he said there are currently two frontrunners in the presidential race, former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Robredo.
“We reasonably believe that the only realistic option at this point, with roughly a month and a half left, is to converge with Leni Robredo’s campaign. Together, we will pursue the realization of our collective aspirations to improve the chances of ordinary Filipinos at a better life,” Alvarez said.
He said Robredo represents ideals that are substantially in line with the aims of the party, which are "to reform government and provide a better future for Filipinos".
Alvarez said “decisive action” is necessary with only a few months left before the May polls, as he stressed the need to set aside personal preferences in order to achieve "collective victory for good governance, a better future for Filipinos, and a strong and progressive nation".
“We need a leader. And for the 2022 Presidential elections, given all these considerations and the crisis we have to overcome, that leader is a woman. Her name is Leni Robredo,” he said.
In a statement, Lacson said the decision to resign from the party came after he got information that the party's slate in Davao del Norte will be endorsing another presidential candidate.
"Yesterday (Wednesday) I was informed by the party president, former Speaker Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, that their slate in Davao del Norte, led by the party secretary-general and Provincial Governor Edwin Jubahib, has decided to endorse another presidential candidate," Lacson said, without giving any further details.
Saying that his decision to run as the party standard-bearer was done at the "behest of these top tier officials", Lacson said it is only proper for him to resign to uphold his principles.
Despite these developments, he said he will continue with his presidential campaign.
"In the face of these recent developments, allow me to say, like a true-blooded warrior that I am all my life, I will continue this fight in pursuit of my quest to serve my country and our people, as your Chief Executive – if God and the Filipino people will it, come May 9, 2022," he added. (PNA)
