MANILA, May 12 (Mabuhay) – Leading vice-presidential candidate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo on Thursday said she is willing to work with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the running mate of presumptive president, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa pahayag ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano ukol sa resulta ng eleksyon,” Robredo said in a statement, after Cayetano conceded to her even though she has yet to establish a commanding lead over her closest rival, Sen. Bongbong Marcos, in the ongoing unofficial tally of votes.
“Nananatili tayong bukas sa pakikipagtulungan sa kanya para sa patuloy na pag-unlad ng buhay ng ating kababayan. Tayo’y umaasa na matatapos na ito sa lalong madaling panahon at masimulan na ang paghilom ng ating bayan,” Robredo added.
In conceding defeat, Cayetano said Robredo is not only leading the race but “already won it with majority of the votes tallied.”
“It is often said that the voice of the people is the voice of God. In this regard, I humbly concede my vice presidential bid to Rep. Leni Robredo, who, by all accounts and with 96% of the votes already tallied, is our country’s presumptive Vice President-elect. Rep. Leni is not only leading the race, she has clearly won it,” he said.
Robredo received 13,973,756 votes while Marcos got 13,760,369 as of 10:45 a.m. Thursday. Cayetano, on the other hand, got 5,657,300 votes.
The other vice presidential candidates –Senators Francis Escudero, Gringo Honasan, and Antonio Trillanes IV – have already conceded. (MNS)