As the call to rally behind a unified candidate for President begins to snowball, four Quezon City Aksyon Demokratiko candidates for councilor, led by re-electionist Dante de Guzman, have abandoned Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and shifted their support to Vice President Leni Robredo.
De Guzman (3rd district) was joined by broadcaster Gani Oro (5th district), actress Melissa Mendez (2nd district) and Apple Francisco (5th district) in switching their support to the VP.
In a joint statement, De Guzman, Oro, Mendez and Francisco said their decision to switch to Robredo was anchored on the recent call of former pro-Isko volunteer group, IM Pilipinas.
The group included former QC councilor and former DENR Assistant Secretary Rommel Abesamis, to come to a common ground regardless of personal and party interests “to save the country from slipping back to it’s worst chapter in history.”
They emphasized, however, they would not leave Aksyon, stressing they remained committed to support the vice presidential and senatorial slates of the party.
According to De Guzman, Oro, Mendez and Francisco, the utter lack of party support since Day One up to now made it unbearable for them to continue supporting Domagoso.
“Sad to say, we have walked the extra mile in supporting Isko and his Aksyon slate, but we have not received any form of support from the national headquarters. Up to now, we’re still in the dark if we will even have party watchers,” they said.
“We believe that this concern of ours are not peculiar to us. Other Aksyon candidates in Metro Manila and the provinces could also be as aggrieved as we are,” they added.
Their decision to shift to Robredo came on the heels of the resignation of Abesamis, former NPC Quezon City chair, as lead convenor of Isko Quezon City.
Reports say more Aksyon Demokrariko candidates are set to jump ship and join the team of Vice President Leni Robredo.