Former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales on Tuesday apologized to fellow presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo for urging her to withdraw from the race during their controversial joint Easter Sunday press conference.
In an interview with another media outlet, Gonzales revealed that he was "uncomfortable" when Manila Mayor Isko Moreno called for Robredo's withdrawal from the presidential race.
"Tell her I’m sorry. Yes, I'm apologizing to her because what we need is something better after the elections," Gonzales said.
"I wasn't comfortable there. Wala sa usapan...Oh yes, you can say that. And I have said that to friends," he added.
Gonzales also clarified that he is not an "anti-Robredo" and believes that she has the best chance to contend against the presidential frontrunner, former senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.
Without mentioning Robredo, Gonzales on Sunday claimed that she could not surpass Marcos Jr. in the pre-election polls because the electorate do not like her.
"Ayaw ng taumbayan natin itong number two ang lumaban sa number one," Gonzales said in a joint press conference with other presidential candidates.
[The public does not like this number to go against number one.]
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, who is part of the event, went as far as calling for the Vice President to do the 'supreme sacrifice' of withdrawing her bid.
However, Gonzales said there was no agreement between them to ask anyone to withdraw, saying that Moreno may have been carried away in the heat of question.
"There was no agreement whatsoever that we will ask anyone to withdraw,” Gonzales went on. "Why should we? When we ourselves are rejecting the idea of withdrawal. Wala sa agreement yun."
"The spirit that we are trying to project here is as early as this time, dapat pagkatapos ng eleksyon—kung wala namang dayaan, kung wala namang subversive activities—time to think reconciliation, cooperation, we will work together. Because like it or not, malala ang problema ng bayan," he said.
