CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 14 March) – House Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro Second District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Sunday backed the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo, stressing “she is the best choice for our country and our children.”
Rodriguez, leader of the Centrist Democratic Party (CPD), made the announcement following the party convention in Barangay Nazareth here.
“Today, I am proud to endorse and declare my support as well as that of my family’s and my party’s support to the presidential candidacy of VP Leni Robredo,” Rodriguez said on Twitter.
“She is the best choice for our country and our children moving forward,” he added.
While CPD members who attended the convention greeted his announcement with cheers, Rodriguez also announced their support to the candidacy of Davao Mayor Sara Duterte as vice president, instead of Robredo’s running mate, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan.
“Mayor Sara Duterte is very qualified and she works with integrity. She is also a Mindanawon who can help the people of Mindanao,” Rodriguez said.
The announcement of support for Robredo and Duterte raised the eyebrows of some netizens.
Netizen Carl Encarnacion wondered why Rodriguez waited for Leni’s momentum to build up before throwing in their declaration of support.
“Any form of support is welcome, but I’m still for Leni-Kiko tandem,” Encarnacion said.
Another netizen, Juliet Salcedo Cañadilla, said she respects the decision of Rodriguez and the CPD but will still vote for former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
The decision of Rodriguez to support Robredo may have firmed up when the vice president visited the former’s house in Barangay Nazareth here last October 15.
Rodriguez’s wife Fenina Tiukinhoy and their daughter, Regine Beatrice, were impressed by Robredo that they egged on the deputy speaker to support her, the solon said.
The deputy speaker told the CDP members that he could not throw his support to Robredo without their vote of approval, which he got during Sunday’s national convention.
Rodriguez said he and Robredo have worked together in the 16th Congress and was impressed by her diligence.
“She always came prepared and is good in economics,” he said.
Aside from supporting Robredo and Duterte, Rodriguez also announced their support to senatorial bets Miguel Zubiri, Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Richard Gordon and Risa Hontiveros, who are all seeking reelection.
Rodriguez said they are also supporting the senatorial bids of former Vice President Jejomar Binay, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, former senator JV Ejercito, former House Speaker Allan Cayetano, former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and TV personality Raffy Tulfo. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)