Thread by @rapplerdotcom

Reporters take you behind the scenes of the Easter Sunday joint press conference and its equally interesting aftermath. #PHVote #WeDecide

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.@reyaika on Pacquiao no-show: Pacquiao wanted to go. His campaign manager Buddy Zamora said he didn't see the point of joining the press con. We thought he's not going to go, but it turned out [Pacquiao] actually wanted to go.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika .@reyaika: Ang sabi ni Buddy, it was a discussion among friends. Si Lacson 'yung nag-invite [kay Pacquiao]. And we have to remember that Lacson and Pacquiao are in the "macho bloc" ng Senate.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika Whose idea was it to hold a press conference?

@piaranada: Someone from Isko's camp had the idea na baka kailangan ng presscon.... Their candidates are suffering from the impression na baka mag-withdraw dahil lumilipat supporters nila.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada .@piaranada: So they thought, why not hold a press con just to reiterate that they will not withdraw. And it would be a show of unity, a show of force, if they do it together.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada .@piaranada says Lacson was given time to think about it and he realized "okay 'yung idea." He volunteered to invite Pacquiao, Gonzales. Gonzales invited Abella but the latter backed out at the last minute.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada .@piaranada: Definitely Isko Moreno and Ping Lacson were taking the lead on this.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada .@jairojourno: Tatlo lang ang nagbibigay ng advisory prior to the [press con]: Lacson, Isko, and Gonzales.

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@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno At the Manila Pen, @jairojourno says it was mostly Isko's team that was handling and organizing the event. Isko supporters also swarmed the venue.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno .@jairojourno: Originally, 5 presidentiables and 3 vice presidentiables. Pero habang papalapit nang papalapit, tinanggal 'yung ilang bangko. Du'n namin na-realize na lima lang 'yung darating.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno .@ramboreports says Lacson confirmed only a day before the presser: Hindi naman nakakagulat na rin kasi isa siya sa mga biktima kuno ng calls for withdrawal. Ang kanyang original plan nga ay joint ambush interview with all other presidential bets na pinapa-withdraw.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports: Ang gusto ni Lacson, klaro na hindi siya magwi-withdraw. Ang nangyari sa press con, kung saan-saan napunta 'yung tanungan, nagkaroon ng call for Leni to withdraw na kailangan niyang bawiin na hindi siya kasama sa nag-call.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports: Itong press conference is a long time coming for [Lacson] kasi hinihintay niya talagang makapagsalita siya na hindi siya magwi-withdraw.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports How true are the allegations that a certain candidate's camp is asking them to withdraw?

@reyaika: Zamora (Pacquiao's campaign manager) says ang logical explanation is for "the number 2." He didn't name anyone, but sino ba ang number 2 sa surveys ngayon?

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@reyaika: Si Senator Pacquiao didn't want to answer the question. Yesterday, sabi niya kung mayroon man, ayaw niyang sabihin. Sa kanya na lang daw.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@reyaika: Ang [concern] talaga nila is mayroon daw mga lumalabas na fake news na in a matter of hours, magwi-withdraw na raw si Pacquiao. Doon sila nagagalit.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports: Kinausap naman natin ang Leni camp, hindi ito official na delegation ng Leni camp. Nangyayari din talaga na may mga kumakausap sa kandidato. Hindi natin alam kung may basbas ba ni VP Leni, pero ang sabi nila hindi naman talaga kasama sa campaign.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports: Puwedeng allies lang ito na wala talagang basbas pero kinakausap 'yung other presidential candidates. But that doesn't necessarily mean na ito 'yung gustong ipagawa ni Leni.

#CampaignConvos:

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports: Pero si Lacson bilang policeman, he loves connecting the dots: Who benefits the most if these people ask us to withdraw? Malamang si Leni, malamang meron ding basbas. think a product of miscommunication ito at personal grief.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: 'Yung pinaka-concrete na withdrawal talks kay Isko Moreno that affected him would be the group of Tim Orbos: IM Pilipinas.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: Orbos says nagkausap sila with Leni's people during rallies about the P203B Marcos estate tax. They held a rally together with camps of other candidates to show unity against Marcos.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: Doon nagkausapan na "if we can unite for this issue to bring down Marcos, why not unite, make our candidates see that we have rally behind a single candidate to oppose Marcos?" 'Yon ang pinaka-concrete na si Orbos was trying to talk to Moreno to consider withdrawing.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: That's the most concrete connection I could find: It's Orbos and his group still trying to convince their former principal to go with Robredo.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: We can establish na meron din talaga silang pinanggagalingan. They're not making up an issue, this has been simmering for months already. But the question is, tama ba na i-atake si Robredo for the efforts of people who are supportive of her?

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports on whether or not the candidates echo the call for Leni to withdraw was unclear.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports: Ang lumalabas, kung ano'ng sabihin ng isa, parang sinabi na rin ng lahat kasi nasa iisang table lang naman sila. After ng press con, may cleanup operations na "hindi ako kasama diyan sa call ni Isko."

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports says Lacson did not intend to call on Leni to withdraw: He really went to that press conference just wanting people to stop asking him to withdraw.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno: After reading the statement saying na hindi sila magwi-withdraw, parang kanya-kanya na sila. 2 hours into the presser, si Isko lang ang nagmemention ng "Leni withdraw." I didn't hear, not once, Norberto or Ping mention that.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno: Kaya after the presser we immediately had an ambush interview. Sabi ni [Lacson], kay Isko lang.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno: Sinabi ni Norberto Gonzales na the 2nd placer is not effective. 'Yung messaging nila ay not necessarily "Leni withdraw," but that people should look beyond Robredo. Wag silang i-sideline.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports Was Isko's call spontaneous?

@piaranada: Unplanned siya in the sense na hindi na-heads up other people going into the press con, but planned siya in the sense that even days before, that was already the prevailing sentiment in his camp.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada says Isko claimed optics doesn't matter to him after 'Leni withdraw' remark.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada says 'Leni withdraw' remark could be a ploy to appeal to Marcos soft voters: Baka 'yung ibang voters iboboto lang si Marcos dahil ayaw nila kay Leni, and therefore the need to appear anti-Leni. And what better way to appear anti-Leni than calling on her to withdraw.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: 'Yung big question is: how big is that group na pro-Marcos now but can be persuaded to go with Isko?

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: It's still a big gamble on Isko. Marami rin tayong nakitang Isko supporters who got turned off by what he did.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports on the impact of the presser on Lacson's bid: Flat 2% siya sa surveys, hindi gumagalaw. 'Yung press conferences niya hindi rin masyado mataas ang traction. Pero very consistent siya sa kanyang messaging na hindi siya aatras.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@reyaika on the impact of the presser on Pacquiao's bid: His non-appearance actually worked for him. He himself thinks divine intervention ito. Sa tingin niya mabuti na rin na hindi siya naka-attend dahil nga nagkaroon ng withdrawal calls.
#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@reyaika: Although the question is kung yung sympathy na nakuha niya would actually translate into votes.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno says Robredo was unfazed after the presser: They didn't immediately issue a statement. After 2-3 hours pa.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno on the impact of the presser on Robredo's campaign: I think natuto na sila na hindi talaga nagwo-work ang attacks. Natuto na sila not to totally ignore, but to not give it so much attention.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno on the impact of the presser on De Guzman's bid: Literal na chill, naghalo-halo lang siya during Manila Pen. He was uninvited, and at the same time, kahit invited siya, among all presidential bets, Pacquiao and De Guzman yung hindi umatake kay Robredo.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada explains Isko camp's claim that Moreno has better chance of beating Marcos: Merong mobile phone survey showing voter non-preference rating ng candidates, which is the percentage of voters who will never vote for that candidate. Leni got 45%.

rappler.com/nation/electio…

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: Meaning, almost 50% of the respondents said they would not vote for her.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: Isko only has 2% of respondents saying they would never vote for him. 'Yun yung kanilang basis, na mas maraming may ayaw kay Leni kaysa may ayaw kay Isko, that he is the most unifying, most palatable to a wider spectrum.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: Caveat doon is the Isko camp is overthinking these surveys because at the end of the day Isko remains the second choice of Marcos voters. And Marcos is pushing thru with his candidacy; there doesn't seem to be any major obstacle.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno: Isa sa clear winners sa presser na 'to is Bongbong Marcos. Na-mention siya once, pero never inatake, never na-bring up 'yung P203B estate tax and other issues. Kahit sinasabi nilang hindi anti-Leni, it seemed that way.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports Viewer asks: After the presser, does Isko have a good chance of catching up or is his campaign going down?

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: I think the incident revealed one weakness of his: emotional siya. Napipikon siya.

Ranada recalls Isko proceeded to name-calling Robredo supporters after #WithdrawIsko calls.

RELATED: rappler.com/nation/isko-mo…

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: I think this is the same thing that happened. Napikon siya sa pag-switch ng supporters. But I also think there's a strategic aspect to it. He knows he can use that anger in his campaign, na merong sentiment na ayaw kay Leni.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: Do I think his campaign is going down? It's too early to tell. I'm exposed to Isko supporters, and I see how this has rallied a segment of his supporters, esp those who really weren't going to vote for Leni.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports Were the candidates 'successful' in their presser?

@ramboreports: Imagine men who have their own agendas on the same table. There's an effort to have a unified statement. But once it's a presscon, everything's on the table. Kahit ano puwedeng tanungin.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@ramboreports: After the presscon, hindi na-highlight yung they will not withdraw. Ang nangyari, ang naging headline, yung "Leni, you should withdraw."

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@reyaika: Ilang araw na lang bago mag-eleksiyon, and things like this are very risky for the candidates. No place for theatrics literally days away from elections.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: Ang takeaway ko is about my candidate. I'm thinking he's really like Duterte. Duterte was like a nightmare candidate kasi hindi mo alam sasabihin niya. The time Duterte cursed Pope Francis, nagpapanic team niya. Isko is the same.

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@piaranada: I think it's a liability to the campaign team when your principal says something so strong but also so risky na hindi onboard lahat ng tao. Even his running mate was not onboard.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports .@jairojourno on lessons learned: Dapat ma-streamline ang messaging. Maganda for their presidentiables to talk to their allies na 'wag magkaroon ng backdoor negotiations kasi it affects the candidates themselves.

#CampaignConvos

@reyaika @piaranada @jairojourno @ramboreports And that's a #wRap! Watch the full episode of #CampaignConvos here: