Vice President Leni Robredo and Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte was invited by a friend to Naga City, Camarines Sur to experience the Peñafrancia Festival on Friday, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) said.
The same friend arranged a casual meeting between Duterte and former Vice President Leni Robredo.
“Vice President Sara Z. Duterte is excited to experience her first-ever Peñafrancia fiesta. She was invited by a Bicolano friend to attend the centennial anniversary mass of the Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of Peñafrancia on September 20,” OVP’s statement read.
“The same friend also arranged a casual meeting with former Vice President Leni Robredo. During her stay in Naga, Vice President Duterte visited several prominent Bicol personalities and heard mass with ordinary Bicolanos. She neither looked desperate nor distressed,” it added.
Robredo’s spokesperson when she was at the OVP, lawyer Barry Gutierrez, confirmed that the two met in Naga.
According to Gutierrez, Robredo learned of Duterte’s impending visit just minutes before she was informed that Duterte was on her way.
“VP Sara visited former VP Leni at her house. VP Leni learned of the visit minutes before when she was informed that VP Sara was already on the way,” Gutierrez said in a message to reporters.
“The visit lasted for about an hour. The conversation was personal and not political,” he added.
Earlier, Gutierrez also sent a statement from Robredo.
“While she was in Naga City for the Penafrancia Festival, VP Sara Duterte took the opportunity to visit me at my home. The conversation we had was personal and not political,” Robredo said.
READ: VP Sara Duterte visited Leni Robredo in Naga, Gutierrez confirms
Robredo and Duterte have been on the opposing ends of the political spectrum, with Robredo running for president under the Angat Buhay lineup in the 2022 national elections, while Duterte was the running mate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under the Uniteam banner.
READ: VP Duterte: No idea why Robredo didn’t request for fair budget
Duterte and Robredo have been known to be friends even before 2016, when Duterte’s father, then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, was elected president.
In December 2015, Robredo said she hoped politics would not ruin their relationship as Robredo ran for vice president in 2016 with then-presidential bet Mar Roxas.
“I hope politics will not ruin our friendship,” Robredo said after visiting then Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
“Magkaibigan kami (We’re friends),” Robredo told reporters. “Even before, when I come [to Davao], I always find time to talk to her. She was mayor when my husband was DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) secretary. So we’re friends,” she said.
READ: Leni and Sara Duterte: Friendship beyond politics