President Marcos briefly met with 2022 presidential elections rival and former Vice President Leni Robredo during a visit to Sorsogon City on Thursday.
Mr. Marcos shook hands with Robredo alongside senatorial aspirants Bam Aquino and Camille Villar who welcomed him to the newly-built Sorsogon Sports Arena.
Asked on Robredo’s attendance in the arena, Senate President Francis Escudero explained that it was him who invited the former VP to attend.
“I invited her (Robredo) to welcome the president in behalf of Bicol,” the former Sorsogon governor said.
Brief as their “cordial” encounter may have been, the Senate President expressed hope that this would begin the “healing” process for the two erstwhile political rivals.
“The way I see it, this is where the healing of wounds start… As they say, whatever misunderstanding or differences in political views transpired in the past, these were not personal,” Escudero said in Filipino.
Escudero however insisted that there was no veiled significance to Robredo’s attendance, pointing out that several figures had been invited.
“We invited many (people),” Escudero said, noting that some guests, including Senators Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Lito Lapid, left earlier and were unable to stay for the President’s arrival.
Robredo, meanwhile, stayed and chose to welcome Mr. Marcos despite their history of political rivalry.
This is the first time the two were seen in public together after the 2022 elections.
In an interview, Escudero said he hoped that Robredo could join the President and other officials on stage during the program, but the former vice president had an appointment in Naga City.
The Bicol region is a known bailiwick of Robredo, who is now gunning for the mayoralty seat in Naga City in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.
In 2016, Robredo won the vice presidential race against Marcos, who contested the results in the Supreme Court; the court upheld her victory in 2020.
In the 2022 presidential elections, however, Marcos decisively defeated Robredo.
Meanwhile, the President came to the province to inaugurate the Sorsogon Sports Arena, underscoring its potential as a key training ground for Filipino athletes eyeing international recognition.
During the event, Mr. Marcos expressed hope that the arena would serve as the National Training Camp for athletes, highlighting the country’s drive to increase the number of Olympic competitors.
“This facility is a significant step toward honing the talents of our athletes, giving them the opportunity to further develop their skills,” the Mr. Marcos said.
“Like our Olympians who competed in Paris in 2024, we aim to increase the number of Filipinos bringing honor to our country,” he added.
The chief executive also pointed out that the arena, which can seat up to 12,000 spectators, can also be used for holding other major events.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “Marcos meets former rival Robredo at Sorsogon event”
