LANAO DEL NORTE - Two days after Senator Kiko Pangilinan skipped Vice-President Leni Robredo’s Borongan rally, he said the results of the May 9 polls remain in the hands of Filipinos.

“In the end, taumbayan naman ang magpapasya, hindi naman ang pulitiko,” Pangilinan said in a chance interview with media Thursday.

(In the end it is the people who will decide, not the politicians.)

Pangilinan was absent from the Borongan people’s rally held at the Baybay Boulevard in Eastern Samar on Tuesday, where Robredo’s presidential candidacy was endorsed by Governor Ben Evardone and lone district representative Maria Fe Abunda.

Evardone’s party PDP-Laban endorses Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, runningmate of Robredo’s rival Bongbong Marcos Jr.

Unlike the snub Dr. Willie Ong experienced when his runningmate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno-Domagoso visited without him Davao where calls for a Moreno-Duterte tandem are strong, Pangilinan in a statement said he decided against attending the Borongan rally himself.

“For Leni to increase, I must decrease,” his statement on Wednesday read.

Sen. Kiko Pangilinan explains his absence from Tuesday night’s rally in Borongan City and thanks those who showed their support for him despite his absence:

“For Leni to increase, I must decrease.”

Supporters chanted “We want Kiko!” during the event last night. | @wenacos pic.twitter.com/f249uHKb36

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) March 30, 2022

“Minabuti na natin na huwag na munang tumuloy para full force iyong morale ng opisyal para kay VP Leni,” Pangilinan said after a people’s rally in Maigo, Lanao del Norte, where he spoke before Robredo.

(We decided to forgo the [Borongan rally] to ensure the morale of officials backing Vice President Leni Robredo.)

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“Hayaan na natin ang mga pulitiko na gawin ang gusto nila, pero tayo, nakatutok tayo sa ating mga kababayan at sila naman talaga ang magpapasya pagdating ng araw ng halalan,” Pangilinan said.

(Let’s let them do what they want and remain focused on citizens who hold in their hands the results of the elections.)

Robredo in her speeches since the Borongan rally noticeably reiterated why Pangilinan is her vice presidential runningmate.

After his absence in Borongan, VP Leni Robredo reiterates why Kiko Pangilinan is her chosen runningmate in a dialogue w/ fisherfolk in Sogod, S. Leyte.

“Isa sa mga malaking dahilan bakit si Sen. Kiko ang pinili nating VP, kasi gusto nya na matutukan na talaga ang agriculture.” pic.twitter.com/YYeynwO8JM

— Wena Cos (@wenacos) March 30, 2022

“Alam po natin na ang number 1 advocacy ni Sen. Kiko mga magsasaka at mga mangingisda, at pagsa-ayos ng programa natin sa agriculture,” Robredo told the crowd at Kauswagan’s Longest Boardwalk on Thursday.

(One of the reasons why Senator Kiko is our chosen vice president is his focus on agriculture; farmers and fisherfolk.)

Robredo seeks to empower the agriculture sector by prioritizing reforms and modernization for farmers.

“Mas malaking dahilan dahil ang track record ni Sen. Kiko at saka ang character, ito yung klase ng mga lingkod bayan na gusto nating mamuno sa atin: napakatagal nang public servant pero walang bahid ng korupsyon,” Robredo added.

(More importantly, his track record and character is clean. Despite serving many years in government, he has no record of corruption.)

Pangilinan thanked supporters who sought him during the Borongan rally, proving, he said, that while politicians may not endorse him, voters root for him.

“The people are coming out in tens of thousands. Nararamdaman ng pulitiko iyon kaya nga ine-endorse na si VP. 'Pag mas lalo nilang maramdaman [ay] darating ang panahon baka ako na rin ang i-endorse nila. So tignan natin, marami pang mangyayari,” Pangilinan said.

(Politicians witness the strength in numbers of Robredo’s supporters. As they keep seeing it, maybe in the future they will also endorse me. A lot of things can still happen.)