Leni Robredo gave informal consent to be Roxas’ VP – Belmonte

MANILA, Philippines – There are only a few days left before the Liberal Party’s (LP’s) self-imposed deadline to reveal its complete ticket for the 2016 polls, but Speaker Feliciano Belmonte is confident the announcement on October 5 will feature a “yes” from Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo.

The neophyte legislator has already given her informal consent to run as the party’s vice presidential candidate, alongside LP standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, Belmonte said on Wednesday, September 30.

But the LP vice chairman added that Robredo is still talking it over with her family.

In previous interviews, the lawyer and legislator – also the widow of former interior secretary Jesse Robredo – had consistently expressed apprehensions about running for the country’s second highest elective post. Her 3 daughters are also opposing a vice presidential run for her. (READ: Robredo on VP offer: ‘If I were to be cerebral, the answer is no’)

“Leni wanted to be sure that she had the full support not only of political backers but also of her children,” Belmonte said.

“We want her family to be fully supportive of the decision,” he added.

Robredo was absent during the LP’s National Executive Council (NECO) meeting in Quezon City, where the party’s top officials convened to officially nominate Roxas as their standard bearer.

Four party members – 3 reelectionist senators and one former senator – were also included in the LP’s senatorial slate.

Instead, Robredo was at a forum on hunger and poverty at the University of the Philippines-Diliman on Wednesday afternoon.

Responding to a question on the LP’s announcement, Robredo declined to categorically confirm that she has accepted the vice presidential offer. (READ: Back to Club Filipino: For LP, it’s Leni Robredo for VP)

“Wala pa akong maipahayag ngayon dahil pino-proseso pa sa pamilya. Mabigat kasi siya, hindi madaling pagdesisyunan. Nandoon pa kami sa proseso ng pagpunta sa kung anuman ang desisyon,” she said.

(I cannot announce anything right now because I’m still in the process of talking it over with my family. It’s difficult, it’s not easy to make a decision. We are still in the process of arriving at a decision.)

The LP will make its formal announcement on Monday, October 5, at Club Filipino. 

In a chance interview with reporters, President Benigno Aquino III also refused to speculate on Robredo’s absence at the LP meeting.

“Meron pang mga prosesong dinadaanan si Leni. Pabayaan na natin si Leni ang magsalita next week,” he said.

(Leni is going through a process. Let her speak for herself next week.)

Asked if the ruling coalition had a Plan B in case Robredo turns down the offer, Aquino answered in the affirmative, but added that Roxas would be in the best position to elaborate.

The President also did not answer directly when asked if Senator Alan Peter Cayetano – earlier reported to be Roxas’ other option for running mate – was now out of the picture.

A day before the LP meeting, Cayetano held a press conference in Davao City to announce his own vice presidential bid. The senator said that he was waiting for the decision of his “dream” running mate, popular Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte. – with reports from Jodesz Gavilan/Rappler.com