Robredo ready to work with any VP

MANILA, Philippines — Even as she reiterated her support for her running mate, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, presidential candidate and Vice President Leni Robredo said she is ready to work with any vice president, including Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Asked about the split endorsement for her and Duterte-Caprio of Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, Robredo said whoever wins the elections should work together for the country.

“We are doing our best so that our tandem of Sen. Kiko will come out. But for us, the mandate will come from the people. Whatever the people’s mandate is, we have to follow it the best way possible,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English during her visit to Calauan, Laguna on Friday.

“Politicking should be over after the elections. We have to work together, whoever wins, whether it is me, whether it is Mayor Sara, it is our obligation to work together because if we will end up in conflict, the people will be shortchanged,” she added.

Earlier this week, Salceda – a Bicolano like Robredo who is a member of President Duterte’s party – endorsed the Vice President and the Davao City mayor for the highest posts.

The lawmaker said he is endorsing Robredo as she is good for the economy, adding that she and Duterte-Carpio “are known for judicious and effective use of public resources in the offices and agencies they presided over.”

In a separate interview with One News, Robredo’s spokesman Barry Gutierrez said they are not surprised with split endorsements of candidates in the upcoming elections.

“In any election, there will be groups outside of the campaign who will endorse a different tandem than the one actually pushed by the campaign itself,” he said.

“I think that’s an inevitable consequence of having a system where, instead of voting for a tandem, voters vote for an individual candidate for president and an individual candidate for vice president,” he added.

Gutierrez said they would welcome any support for Robredo, but maintained that they are firmly supporting Pangilinan for vice president.

He said Pangilinan is aware that this may happen, noting that he is a veteran of many election campaigns.

“He is confident in the support and the continued trust of the Vice President, in the fact that she has never actually wavered once in supporting him and endorsing him. So, you know, that’s the way that the two will proceed moving forward. They will run and they are running as a tandem,” added Gutierrez.