Vice President Leni Robredo delivers a speech in Manila on Wednesday, Oct. 20 2021. Charlie Villegas, OVP
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday told her supporters to refrain from boycotting businesses that cater to her 2022 election rivals or their backers.
Robredo said she was "alarmed" over a supposed call for her supporters not to patronize a restaurant in Iloilo City where former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. allegedly had a meeting.
"Na-alarm ako kasi hindi naman natin ine-encourage 'yung ganitong mga actions. Kaya nga kung napapansin n'yo, nag-eexert ako ng effort na magpahayag sa mga supporters na huwag natin tularan 'yong style ng iba," Robredo said in a press conference in Bicol, her home region.
(I was alarmed because we do not encourage that kind of actions. That is why if you notice, I always exert efforts to tell supporters that we should not emulate the style of others.)
"Parati ko sinasabi yung term na ‘pagmamahal’ — mayroon tayong differences sa paniniwala, mayroon tayong differences sa choices kung sino yung susuportahan, pero dapat hindi natin ini-impose yung choice natin sa iba," she continued.
(I always use the term 'love' — we have differences in belief, we have differences in our choices of who to support, but we should not impope our choice on others.)
Marcos also urged the public to refrain from boycotting businesses for the political stands.
"Pare-pareho po tayong bumabangon sa pandemya upang maitaguyod ang ating mga pamilya. Tulungan natin imbes na hadlangan ang ating kapwa guminhawa," he said on Twitter on Tuesday.
(We are all rising from the pandemic so we can support our families. Let us help our compatriots recover, instead of stopping them.)
Robredo she has asked Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas if the boycott call was authentic. He will issue a statement discouraging the move, she said.
The Vice President said her supporters should push for unity instead of divisiveness even during the lead-up to next year's polls.
"Ang tinutulak natin mas maging inclusive, na hindi tayo mag-asta troll. Kung merong mga tao na iba 'yong choices, igalang natin. Kung sa palagay natin 'yong choice n'ya, 'yong desisyon n'ya naka-base sa maling impormasyon, i-correct natin 'yong maling impormasyon,” she said.
(We are pushing to be more inclusive, for us not to act like trolls. If people have different choices, let us respect them. If we think their decision and choice are based on wrong information, let us correct that.)
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