Presidential candidate Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Tuesday reacted to the decision of IM Pilipinas, one of his volunteer groups, to shift their support from him to Vice President Leni Robredo in the upcoming national elections.
In a chance interview with reporters, Moreno said he has no hard feelings about the group's decision despite not being informed beforehand.
"Maraming salamat sa kanila [Many thanks to them]. I wish them all the best. And this separates the men from the boys," he said.
"Mahirap ang laban pero kung ‘yung taumbayan nga hindi sumusuko sa problema nila eh, ‘yung taumbayan nga hindi sumusuko sa mga suliranin na kanilang hinaharap, anong dahilan natin sumuko?" he added.
[My fight is difficult but if the people don’t give up on their problems, what reason do I have for giving up?]
Moreno also reiterated that his motivation to run for president is not fueled by his desire to ensure that another Marcos won't return to Malacañang.
"Nirerespeto ko ang opinyon nila, pero uulitin ko, hindi ako tumakbo para awayin o kamuhian si Leni Robredo, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ping Lacson, Manny Pacquiao... Sa mga hindi naniniwala, mga nagsasabing kailangan labanan ang mga Marcos, I think you have a wrong candidate," he insisted.
[I respect their opinion, but I am not running to go against Leni Robredo, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Ping Lacson, Manny Pacquiao. Those saying we need to fight the Marcoses, I think you have the wrong candidate.]
"Ang laban ko ay laban para sa ordinaryong pamilyang Pilipino," Moreno added.
[I am in this race for the ordinary Filipino families.]
In a media briefing on Tuesday, Ikaw Muna (IM) Pilipinas convenor Tim Orbos said they have called for unity from other presidential bets to oppose the candidacy of presidential frontrunner Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.
But only Robredo and labor leader Leody De Guzman responded to their calls of unification.
"From our call for unity, we now shift to a call for unity for Vice President Leni Robredo in her campaign to be our president this 2022," Orbos said.
"The Vice President is consistently the second place in the past months and has been on a steady rise with the biggest increase as shown in the latest survey… She is now in the best position to win this for us," he added.
