Former Vice President Leni Robredo. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines— Former Vice President Leni Robredo has declared that she prefers running for mayor of Naga City over vying for a senatorial seat in the 2025 midterm elections.
In an interview with local reporters in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Robredo said she has informed the Liberal Party (LP) about her decision.
“Sinarado ko na kaya nagpaalam na ako sa LP. Kaya ako nagpaalam sa LP na hindi na ako tatakbo sa Senado. Sinabi ko na ang preference ko ay tatakbo akong alkalde ng Naga,” she explained.
(I have closed doors on that, that’s why I informed LP about it. That’s why I told LP that I would not run for the Senate. I told them that my preference was to gun for the mayoral post of Naga.)
Robredo’s plans to run for the Naga mayoral race — a post once occupied by her late husband, former Interior secretary Jesse Robredo — was first revealed by LP president and Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman.
Lagman said it in an interview with reporters at the Batasang Pambansa complex after being asked about the possibility that Robredo would get nominated for the vacant Education secretary post.
Vice President Sara Duterte resigned as Education secretary last Wednesday.
READ: Leni Robredo may run for Naga City mayor in the 2025 polls, says Lagman
Robredo said she does not know if it was Lagman’s official statement, but she noted that the context of the interview was a possible offer for her to be Education secretary.
“Hindi ko alam kung official statement iyon, pero ang konteksto nung interview kay Congressman Edcel Lagman ay tungkol sa napapabalitang offer kay Atty. Leni na maging sekretarya. ‘Yon ang pagkakaintindi ko. Pagkabasa ko ng headline, parang napangunahan na ako,” she explained.
(I do not know if that was an official statement, but the context of the interview with Congressman Edcel Lagman was about a supposed offer for Atty. Leni to be the Education secretary. That’s my understanding. But when I read the headlines, it seems my actions were preempted.)
“Alam ng lahat na ang pinaka-preferred option ko na maging mayor ng Naga. Pero ayaw ko gumawa ng official announcement na hindi ko pa nata-tie ‘yung loose ends,” she added.
(Everyone knows that my preferred option is to be Naga’s mayor. But I do not want to make an official announcement while I have not yet tied loose ends.)
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