Okay… so, for the 2025 elections, Leni Robredo – the former vice president of Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and as the leader of the “opposition”, the erstwhile rival for the presidency of eventual winner Bongbong Marcos, son of the late dictator – endorsed Manny Pacquiao for senator.
As of 4.57PM of April 24 (while this article was being completed), hours after news of this endorsement broke, no word yet from Leni’s camp on why this endorsement was made.
Instead, we got a statement from the team of Pacquiao (who already did a house-to-house campaign with Robredo in Naga City – i.e. that Leni, supposedly, said that “we will always be behind Manny Pacquiao.”
But this is Pacquiao; the person who said that LGBTQIA people are masahol pa sa hayop (worse than animals). Who – continuously – emphasized that he does not see LGBTQIA+ relationships as equal to heterosexuals’. And who – along with TV personality turned senator Tito Sotto, has been blocking the anti-discrimination bill in the Senate (the latter infamously stating that any bill promoting the human rights of LGBTQIA+ people will have no chance of passing the senate).
Leni’s support of one who does not believe in equal rights for LGBTQIA+ people matters.
Her silence on this endorsement also matters.
And those defending her (some claiming it’s better to have Pacquiao in the senate instead of Imee Marcos or Camille Villar or Willie Revillame and so on) should just stop doing so. Yung gist: There’s no comfort in knowing one is choosing a bad apple over another bad apple. Because you’re basically just defending a wrong move, instead of making her accountable for her choice (which has life-altering effects on us LGBTQIA+ people).
Too many in the LGBTQIA+ community called out Heidi Mendoza for saying it’s a “qualified no” for her particularly re marriage equality. And rightly so. But just as many in the LGBTQIA+ community made Heidi reconsider her thinking, shouldn’t the same be the goal with Leni?
Tama, we do not have to vote for Pacquiao just because Leni endorsed him. But at the same time, ask din why Leni endorsed Pacquiao in the first place, knowing it’s – well – Pacquiao. Because this move, her choice reflects her din.
