Palace snaps back at Robredo: No problem with PH economy

Malacañang on Thursday hit back at Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo after she told President Rodrigo Duterte to focus on fixing the economy rather than insult her and God.

“Unang-una po, Madam Vice President, wala pong problema ang ekonomiya,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(First of all Madam Vice President, there is no problem with the Philippine economy.)

“All economies in the world po will agree that we are a darling economy,” Roque said.

“As I have always said, it’s a matter of record that we are the second fastest growing economy in the world, level optimism is all-time high, manufacturing output is an all-time high,” Roque added.

He downplayed the high inflation rate of 5. 2 percent in June, saying it was triggered by the increase in oil prices among others.

‘Honest and objective’

Roque said Robredo may have been hurt when the president commented that the vice president was “incompetent.”

In an ambush interview on July 10, the president said, “Siya ang mag-presidente (She will become president)? Look, I will not resign because it will make her president. My resignation is addressed to the people para makapili sila ng gusto nila (so that they can choose who they want). Siya, I don’t think she can ever be ready to govern my country. Reason? Incompetence.”

READ: Duterte: Robredo ‘incompetent,’ will never be ready to become President

Roque refused to label the president’s remark as an insult, saying “It’s just a frank, honest, objective assessment of the President.”

“It’s not an insult, it’s an objective assessment of a person who has served 40 years in government,” Roque said, comparing Duterte’s long government service of the President to Robredo’s three years in government.  /vvp