MARAWI City ―The mother of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., has confirmed meeting with Vice President Leni Robredo for breakfast on Friday morning but said it had nothing to do with politics.

In a statement, former governor Soraya Alonto Adiong described Robredo as “ a friend of our family” and “is like a daughter to me” and that since 2016, the first year of Robredo as Vice President,” whenever VP Leni goes to Marawi, she would always come to me in a friendly visit.”

She said on April 1, Robredo “did just that, not to solicit our support for her, but to update us with her Angat Buhay programs which she started during my term as Governor of Lanao del Sur.”

Robredo arrived here on Friday a day after the rally of a rival candidate, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., where reelectionist Governor Adiong, provincial chair of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, vowed to give “landslide victory for Marcos and his running mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in Lanao del Sur in the May elections.

Robredo was reported to have clinched the support of the matriarch of the Alonto and Adiong clans.

In her statement, the matriarch said Robredo had breakfast with them in their home in Ditsaan-Ramain town, which is along the way to Buadipuso-Buntong.

“Leni is like a daughter to me, and our long-time (friend), which started when her husband, the late DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo, was still alive, shall never be mixed and marred by politics,” the matriarch said.

The matriarch was the governor during the five-month war between the governor and the ISIS-inspired Maute group in 2017.

Robredo was among those who responded immediately to attend to the needs of the displaced Marawi residents, despite the limited resources of the Office of the Vice President.

In her talk with the 37 weavers of the Bamboo Landers Multi-purpose cooperative in Buadipuso-Buntong town, Robredo mentioned the meeting with the Alonto matriarch.

She also mentioned her meeting with Taraka Vice Mayor Amenodin Sumagayan and other officials who signified their support for her in Iligan City.

Robredo did not say what was discussed in the two meetings.

Sumagayan, who is running for mayor in Taraka town, said 15 mayors of Lanao del Sur’s 39 towns are joining the RoSa bandwagon and were about to announce their support to Robredo and Duterte for vice president.

Governor Adiong on Tuesday debunked that claim.

He said all mayors of the 39 towns in Lanao del Sur and Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra are supporting his presidential bid of Marcos.

To show proof, Adiong sent copies of the resolution of the Lakas-CMD party and the signatures of the mayors.

“We are all together in supporting Marcos and Davao Mayor Sara Duterte,” he said.