Leni to stand out among male opponents – SB

MANILA, Philippines - Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday that Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo will have a good chance of winning the vice presidential race in 2016, being the only woman in a field of six contenders.

Belmonte said he was initially rooting for Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano to be the administration’s vice presidential bet but the Liberal Party (LP) chose Robredo and Cayetano decided to run for vice president on his own.

He described the tandem of LP standard-bearer Manuel Roxas II and Robredo as a terrific team, with Roxas’ ratings catching up with leading presidential aspirant Sen. Grace Poe.

Other aspirants to the vice presidency are Poe’s running mate, Sen. Francis Escudero, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Sen. Gregorio Honasan.

“Alan is a fighter. But now, with five males hitting at one another, they’re not exactly the best of chums in the Senate anyway, I think the two females, they’ll stand out and Leni, who is a lawyer, has also a life story of her own that’s worth talking about,” Belmonte said.

Roxas is optimistic that Robredo will gain public support, believing her sincerity will be her advantage over her rivals.

He admitted that Robredo’s low survey numbers were a concern but expressed confidence that the gains of the Aquino administration’s straight path policy would be an advantage to both of them. – With Jess Diaz, Christina Mendez, Alexis Romero, Danny Dangcalan