Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo said President Rodrigo Duterte’s rant against her in his recent televised address appeared “unpresidential.”
“Ang unang dating sa akin, parang hindi pangulo ang nagsasalita. Pangalawa, sobrang pikon,” she said in an interview over The Mangahas Interviews.
Duterte’s latest address was full of tirades against Robredo.
“You seem to have an angel face but a devilish mind. Ang duda mo kasi tapos na ako kaya you want me to go into a trap of saying things which are not appropriate. ‘Yan ang mahirap sayo,” Duterte said after claiming Robredo was “baiting” him to get a Sinovac vaccine jab.
Duterte also voiced a death wish to Robredo.
“Iyan ang mahirap sa iyo eh, you want to be relevant. And you — you know, sometimes you make an idiotic stance. Iyong mga ganoong “they deserve the best.” Anak ka ng… Bakit ako? I would give them the worst? Mamatay ka na,” the president said.
Robredo said she would rather not respond to Duterte’s harsh words.
“Para pumatol sa ganoong usapin, tingin ko nagsasayang ako ng oras.”
Robredo’s remarks which Duterte said were efforts to “bait” him were expressed in January when Robredo said it was important for Duterte to be among the first ones to receive anti-Covid-19 shots to allay the public’s vaccine fears.
“Mahalaga talaga na ‘yung pangulo talaga ang manguna. Kung ayaw niya, ako willing naman na manguna,” she said.
“Pero ang sinasabi lang natin, mahalaga kasi nakita naman natin, ginawa ito sa lahat ng bansa, ginawa ito sa lahat ng bansa, para ma-boost iyong confidence ng tao sa bakuna, kasi marami ngayong pangamba, marami iyong pangamba sa safety nito,” she added.
Duterte has yet to receive an anti-Covid-19 jab as his preferred vaccine brand, Sinopharm, has yet to secure an emergency use authorization in the Philippines. John Ezekiel J. Hirro