MANILA, Philippines — A supposedly "people-led" movement that claims to have at least 100,000 members across the country is pushing for Vice President Leni Robredo and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to team up and forge "genuine unity."
Representatives of the Kay Leni-Sara Movement — or KaLeSa — including a member of the Aksyon Demokratiko party, said the two women leaders would complement each other if Robredo wins the presidency and Duterte-Carpio gets the vice-presidency.
"Naniniwala tayo na nangangailangan ng KaLeSa tandem, Leni Robredo at Sara Duterte, upang masiguro ang pagbubukas ng pinto para sa pagkakaisa," Olongapo City Councilor Kaye Legaspi said Thursday in a press conference. "Mayroon tayong isang lider na nagpamalas ng galing at kalinga, at mayroon naman tayong isang lider na buo ang tapang."
(We believe that we need the KaLeSa tandem, Leni Robredo and Sara Duterte, to ensure that the door to unity will be opened … We have a leader who has shown competence and care, and we have a leader who is totally courageous.)
‘Fake’ unity
Legaspi said that a Robredo-Duterte tandem would lead to "positive change" as this will unite the country amid political polarization.
KaLeSa’s call for unity between leaders hailing from opposite sides of the political fence is reminiscent of the rallying call of the presidential campaign of Duterte-Carpio’s running mate, presidential aspirant Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
But representatives of the movement said the unity they aspire to is different from that being espoused by the Marcos campaign.
"Sa UniTeam, peke iyan. Bawat isa may laglagan iyan," Datu Michael Kida said, in reference to the Marcos-Duterte ticket. "This is the perfect unity team. Why? Kasi both side, from Ma’am Leni and Ma’am Sara, on the other side of politics, magkakaroon ng magandang direction at hindi magaaway ang sambayanang Pilipino dahil may check and balance."
(The UniTeam is a fraud. They will abandon each other … This is the perfect unity team. Why? Because Ma’am Leni and Ma’am Sara come from other sides of politics, there will be a good direction and the Filipino people will not fight because there is check and balance.)
Mindanao vote
KaLeSa is the latest group that has come out in support of a pairing between Robredo and Duterte-Carpio, following the launch of RoSa in March that has gained ground in Mindanao, where the Duterte family holds sway.
The movement was introduced to the press just a day after the latest Pulse Asia survey was released which showed Marcos dip by four points, while Robredo surged by nine points.
But Legaspi said that unlike RoSa, KaLeSa is a grassroots organization that has so far shunned the backing of big politicians.
"We will maintain independence dahil ang gusto natin ay iyong interes ng mga Pilipino at ang gusto natin ay masiguro na ang KaLeSa ang magli-lead ay iyong mga Pilipinong nasa laylayan at Pilipinong nasa iba’t-ibang sektor at organisasyon," Legaspi said.
(We will maintain independence because we want to protect the interests of Fiipinos and we want to make sure that KaLeSa will be led by Filipinos in the margins and in other sectors and organizations.)
Legaspi herself is the vice president for youth of Aksyon Demokratiko, the party of presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, but is openly supporting Robredo’s bid for Malacañang. The Olongapo City councilor said she has secured her party's blessing for the move.
With groups pushing for the vice president to team up with the Davao City mayor, Legaspi said this is Robredo’s chance to solidify support for her in Mindanao, where she trails far behind frontrunner Marcos.
But Robredo has been adamant about keeping her running mate, Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, repeatedly appealing to supporters at her rallies across the country to not drop him in favor of other vice presidential candidates.