Twenty-seven former Cabinet members, four chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), senior government officials, ambassadors, and career civil servants who served under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III expressed their support for the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo.

Among those who signed the statement released on February 1, was former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, who was Robredo’s presidential candidate in the 2016 elections.

The former military chiefs who signed the endorsement were retired Generals Eduardo Oban, Jr., Jesse Dellosa, Emmanuel Bautista, and Hernando Iriberri.

Forty-two career diplomats also joined the endorsement for Robredo, a move not often heard of in the diplomatic community. Among the senior career diplomats who are supporting Robredo’s candidacy are former Foreign Affairs Sec. and Ambassador Delia Albert, former Labor Secretary and Ambassador Jose S. Brillantes, former Ambassadors Sonia Brady, Victoria Bataclan, Estrella Berenguel, Eduardo Maglaya, Claro Cristobal, Laura del Rosario, Cecilia Rebong, and Millie Thomeczek.

The vice president’s late husband, Jesse Robredo, was the late President’s Interior Secretary until his death in a plane crash on August 18, 2012.

In the statement, the former Aquino officials said the May 9 elections will shape the future of generations to come.

This is why, they said, they aspire “for a government led by a President who is competent, experienced and committed to the principles of integrity, democracy, and genuine public service.”

“We believe that the best candidate who embodies these aspirations is a true leader who brings with her a solid track record of serving the public; one who possesses all the qualities of an ideal Chief Executive and Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces,” they said.

“We commit ourselves fully to Vice President Leni Robredo’s bid for the presidency to lead the Philippines on an upward path of recovery and greatness. We thus enjoin the Filipino people to give our country the leader that we all deserve,” they said. Office of the Vice President Media Affairs Division