Vice President Leni Robredo renewed her firm stance that she would continue to stand up against President Rodrigo Duterte’s rude remarks.
Robredo made the remark when asked in a radio interview to explain why she called Duterte a misogynist after he asked in a nationally televised briefing what time she goes home at night and where she would sleep after her day.
“Kapag binastos ako, lalaban ako. Kapag binastos mo ako lalaban ako kasi kailangan kong maging halimbawa, eh. Kailangan ko maging halimbawa sa ibang mga kababaihan na nababastos din,” Robredo said.
“Kung sa pambabastos hahayaan ko iyon, ano iyong mensaheng binibigay ko? Na okay lang iyon? Na okay lang iyon dahil lalaki kayo? Na okay lang iyon dahil Pangulo kayo? Hindi dapat ganoon,” Robredo added.
The vice president said that the president had shown a bad example in sharing rude remarks and that that behavior should not be set aside.
“Hindi magandang halimbawa kahit iyon iyong natural mo. Kahit iyon iyong natural mo, hindi iyon katanggap-tanggap kasi maraming tao iyong nag-a-appreciate sa iyo, nag-a-idolize sa iyo. Tinuturuan mo ng mga bagay na una, kabastusan,” Robredo said.
“Tinuturuan mo ng mga bagay na hindi maganda. Eh makikita natin ito, Deo, dahil iyon siya, iyong mga supporters na kumakampi sa kaniya ganiyan din. Iyong mga posts sa social media talagang lahat kabastusan,” she added.
Robredo mentioned that while criticism is acceptable for public officials, it should be fact-checked, not low blows.
“Hindi masama na mag-criticize. Tingin ko, bahagi iyan ng demokrasya. Hindi masama na punahin mo iyong public officials kasi kailangan siya maging accountable. Pero kung iyong pagpupuna mo dinadaan mo sa una, kabastusan; pangalawa, kasinungalingan, mali iyon,” Robredo said.
Among Duterte’s tirades was his false claim that Robredo was looking for him during relief efforts for typhoon victims. The hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo, that trended once again in social media, was first used during the time of former President Noynoy Aquino and not during Duterte’s time. Robredo, nor her children, insinuated nor used the hashtag to mock Duterte’s absence.
The vice president said that Duterte should be offended when the Filipino people look for his presence amid calamities.
“Definitely, hindi iyon sa akin nanggaling, pero dapat hindi tayo masyadong onion-skinned kapag ganoon. Hindi tayo masyadong napipikon kasi karapatan ng taong hanapin iyong mga namumuno sa kanila,” Robredo said.
“Ang constituents talagang maghahanap iyan sa iyo. Kahit barangay captain ka, hahanapin ka ng constituents mo kung mayroong sakuna na nangyari na wala ka. Kaya iyong #NasaanAngPangulo [na panawagan], karapatan ng taong gawin iyon. Pero dapat sana iyong response doon ipakita kung ano iyong ginagawa, hindi iyong maghahanap ka ng ibang ibe-blame,” Robredo said. RJ Espartinez