Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday confirmed that the 2028 elections were among the topics casually discussed during a recent gathering of the 2022 senatorial slate of former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo.
Speaking at the Kapihan sa Senado forum, Hontiveros clarified that the event was not a formal meeting but a dinner to celebrate the birthday of former senatorial candidate and lawyer Alex Lacson.
“Hindi po ‘yun meeting kaya wala pong agenda. ‘Yun po ay regular na dinner namin ng dating mga senatorial candidates noong 2022 tuwing may birthday,” she said.
“So of course doon pwede naming pag-kwentuhan kahit ano. Pero walang agenda kasi hindi po meeting,” she added.
Asked if the 2028 elections were part of the conversations, Hontiveros confirmed they were.
“Of course, kasama na po ‘yun sa mga personal at work updates ng bawat isa. As I said, free-flowing lagi ang conversations namin kaya naglu-look forward ako sa mga dinners namin na ‘yun several times a year,” she explained.
She added that the group also talked about current events and pressing national issues.
“Of course, lagi po. Kasi whether nasa gobyerno kami tulad namin ni Rep. Chel, Rep. Leila o wala na, o wala sa gobyerno tulad ng ibang mga kaibigan at kasama namin, lahat laging concerned sa ganyang mga issues,” Hontiveros said.
Among those present at the dinner were Hontiveros, Mamamayang Liberal (ML) Partylist Representative Leila De Lima, Akbayan Partylist Representative Chel Diokno, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, former Ifugao Lone District Representative Teddy Baguilat, former Quezon 4th District Representative Erin Tañada, and lawyers Sonny Matula, Alex Lacson, Fhilip Sawali, and Dino de Leon.