Press Release
March 24, 2022

Pangilinan warns: Split TROPA vote to cause further democratic decline

VICE-PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Wednesday night warned the public against voting for a different vice president in tandem with presidential candidate Leni Robredo.

At the Tarlac grand rally, Pangilinan told a crowd of about 40,000: "Hinihiling ko at pakiusap, yung para kay Leni ay sana para kay Kiko din dahil mahirap na kung iba bise-presidente. Baka iba ang planuhin sa ating President Leni."

The audience responded chanting his name, "Kiko, Kiko, Kiko."

This follows Pangilinan's earlier swipe at alleged frontrunners Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte for their continued refusal to join public debates.

Pangilinan's remarks during the sorties in Nueva Ecija a day after some local executives openly announced their support for Duterte as Robredo's running-mate.

"Kaming mga kandidato ay lumiligaw para makuha ang matamis ninyong oo. Ang kailangan kapag nanliligaw dapat humarap. Pag may debate di ba nagpapakilala? Paano ninyo kikilalanin ang mga nanliligaw kung hindi nagpapakita sa debate? Kaya kayo mga botante, (kapag) hindi humaharap ang kandidato, nirerespeto ba kayo?" he told crowds in Batangas and Nueva Ecija.

Pangilinan made similar remarks during the Commission on Elections' vice-presidential debates Sunday. He had to skip the biggest campaign rally yet of the Team Robredo-Pangilinan (TROPA) in Pasig to attend the debate.

Other fellow vice-presidential candidates in the Comelec debate also noted Duterte's absence.

Pangilinan said that the way the candidates campaign shows how they will govern once in office.

"Hindi pa nga nananalo, hindi na humaharap, hindi kayo nirerespeto. Pag nanalo na, rerespetuhin kaya kayo?"

On Monday, a group of local executives staged a rally to launch their campaign called Rosa (Robredo-Sara) in Cagayan de Oro City. Compared to the mammoth crowds of Leni-Kiko sorties, the 1,000-plus they were able to muster showed the strength of the Team Robredo-Pangilinan (TROPA).

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