Vice President Leni Robredo
Vice President Leni Robredo shot back at President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday, saying he should not use his sickness to belittle and attack her.
“Wala namang may gustong magkasakit ang Pangulo. Pero hindi dahilan ang sakit para maliitin na naman ako,” Robredo said in a statement.
In a speech before the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association on Thursday, Duterte reiterated that he will not resign if it is Robredo who would succeed her, as she cannot lead the country with weak strategic skills.
“Pero I will not resign to give it to […] I do not mean to offend the lady. She’s very good, she’s gentle. Pero mahina talaga si Leni… medyo mahina, Hindi Mahina yung utak, pumasa ng bar eh. Mahina sa diskarte,” Duterte said.
According to Robredo, however, courage and strength are not measured by mere vicious words.
“Hindi ko ugali ang mamulitika; mas gusto kong tahimik na magtrabaho. Pero sasabihin ko ito ngayon: ang tapang, lakas, at diskarte, hindi nadadaan as mapanirang salita,” she said.
“Ang kailangan ng taumbayan ay tapang sa gawa,” she added.
Duterte also had previously said that he would prefer either a military junta or former Senator Bongbong Marcos or Senator Chiz Escudero to succeed him if he resigns, and not the Vice President because Naga City, where she hails from, is a “hotbed of shabu”.
READ: Duterte rejects Robredo as successor
Robredo also questioned Duterte’s “diskarte,” throwing shade on the several challenges that the current administration is facing.
“Hinalal kami ng taumbayan para guminhawa ang kanilang buhay. Pero dahil sa diskarte ng Pangulo nitong dalawang taon, tumaas ang presyo ng mga bilihin, lalong humirap ang buhay, dumami ang alegasyon ng korapsyon, at libu-libong mga Pilipino ang pinatay,” she noted.
She also called on the government to solve the country’s problem, especially poverty and the rising prices of goods, instead of mudslinging.
“Umaksyon tayo sa problema ng bayan kaysa puro sisi ang binabato: sa dating administrasyon, sa kanyang mga kritiko, sa akin,” Robredo urged.
“Sinumpaan naming mga lider na magtatrabaho kami para sa mga kapwa naming Pilipinong bumabangon araw-araw para mabigyan ng mas magandang buhay ang kanilang pamilya. Bumabangon ako araw-araw para gawin yan,” she said./ac