ELECTIONS 2022: 70K attended Leni's Pasay rally, police say; VP's camp insists 400K

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Teng Yong Ping
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  • 2022 Philippine Elections
    2022 Philippine Elections
A giant crowd gathers during the presidential campaign rally of Vice-President Leni Robredo who is also celebrating her 57th birthday in Pasay City, Philippines on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Presidential hopefuls continue their election campaign with a cast of candidates led by a late dictator's son and the pro-democracy current vice-president as the country is set to vote next month. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A giant crowd at the presidential campaign rally of Vice-President Leni Robredo in Pasay City on April 23. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has claimed that Vice President Leni Robredo's rally in Pasay on April 23 was attended by at most 80,000 people, which contrasts with campaign organisers' estimate of 412,000.

In response to the police estimate of the rally crowd size, Robredo's spokesperson, Barry Gutierrez, in a statement to Inquirer, insisted that their camp's figure is accurate.

In a statement posted Monday (April 25), NCRPO had said of the Pasay sortie: "It was attended to by an estimated crowd of more or less 70,000 to 80,000 supporters and volunteers onboard of [more or less] 300 cars, 15 buses, 100 [motorcycles] and 15 PUJs (public utility vehicles)."

"The rally was attended first by groups of supporters coming from different areas displaying banners of support to the Leni-Kiko tandem," police said. "Thereafter, they converged at the main rally site while other attendees mostly stayed in nearby establishments like malls and restaurants."

The police added that "a great number of rallyists did not stay for the whole duration of the event but left after a while".

Gutierrez, however, noted that the section of Macapagal Boulevard at which the rally was situated – which is five kilometers long and 32 meters wide – "was packed with volunteers and supporters."

"We stand by our estimate," Gutierrez said. "Anyone can use online tools to verify the crowd estimate, and we are confident our numbers will be sustained."

Vice-President Leni Robredo, center, who is also celebrating her 57th birthday, poses with artists and performers during her presidential campaign rally in Pasay City, Philippines, on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Presidential hopefuls continue their election campaign with a cast of candidates led by a late dictator's son and the pro-democracy current vice-president as the country is set to vote next month. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Vice-President Leni Robredo, center, who was celebrating her 57th birthday, with Vice Ganda to her left and her running mate Kiko Panilinan to her right at their Pasay rally. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

At the Pasay rally, which coincided with presidential candidate Robredo's birthday, several prominent celebrities endorsed the candidacy of Robredo and her running mate, Senator Kiko Pangilinan.

These included John Arcilla, Vice Ganda, and Regine Velasquez.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its United Bangsamoro Justice Party also endorsed Robredo at the rally, joining other marginalised groups who have declared their support for the VP.

Recently, Robredo also received endorsements for her presidential bid from a host of Filipino basketball icons.

Here are more photos of the Leni-Kiko grand rally in Pasay:

A giant crowd gathers during the presidential campaign rally of Vice-President Leni Robredo who is also celebrating her 57th birthday in Pasay City, Philippines on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Presidential hopefuls continue their election campaign with a cast of candidates led by a late dictator's son and the pro-democracy current vice-president as the country is set to vote next month. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A giant crowd gathers during the presidential campaign rally of Vice-President Leni Robredo who is also celebrating her 57th birthday in Pasay City, Philippines on Saturday, April 23, 2022. Presidential hopefuls continue their election campaign with a cast of candidates led by a late dictator's son and the pro-democracy current vice-president as the country is set to vote next month. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this photo taken on April 23, 2022, Philippine Vice President and opposition presidential candidate Leni Robredo speaks before thousands of supporters during a campaign rally coinciding with her birthday in Pasay, suburban Manila. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP) (Photo by TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
Presidential candidate, Vice-President Leni Robredo, fourth right, and her running mate Senator Francis
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
In this photo taken on April 23, 2022, thousands of supporters of Philippine Vice President and opposition presidential candidate Leni Robredo attend a campaign rally coinciding with her birthday in Pasay, suburban Manila. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP) (Photo by TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by TED ALJIBE/AFP)
In this photo taken on April 23, 2022, thousands of supporters of Philippine Vice President and opposition presidential candidate Leni Robredo hold up lit mobile phones during a campaign rally coinciding with her birthday in Pasay, suburban Manila. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP) (Photo by TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
In this photo taken on April 23, 2022, Philippine Vice President and opposition presidential candidate Leni Robredo (top L) signs autographs for supporters during a campaign rally coinciding with her birthday in Pasay, suburban Manila. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP) (Photo by TED ALJIBE/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

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