Duterte calls Robredo ‘dishonest’ for allegedly questioning his absence during typhoon

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte called Vice President Leni Robredo “dishonest” for supposedly questioning his absence when Typhoon Ulysses battered Luzon and caused massive flooding in some areas.

“She made a blunder, a big one, and practically lied making her incapable of truth. Alam mo, yung pakana niya na wala ako sa bagyo, I was here,” Duterte claimed Tuesday in a pre-recorded speech, adding that he attended a virtual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Robredo did not issue any statement asking the President’s whereabouts during Ulysses’ onslaught.

“There was no need for you to make a very masamang biro na where were you?… ‘Wag ka masyadong porma, porma, hindi mo pa panahon. Not the time to be making grandstanding,” Duterte said.

“I would tell the Filipino people right now that you are a dishonest person. You knew there was a summit conference. You knew we were working,” he went on.

The hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo first became a trending topic online when Duterte skipped the briefing of government officials on Super Typhoon Rolly.

The same hashtag topped Twitter Philippines’ trending topics when Typhoon Ulysses devastated again parts of the country and when several residents asked for rescue online when massive flooding hit their houses.

Duterte had previously addressed critics, saying the government was on top of the situation and that he had not been getting any sleep.

In a previous television interview, Robredo noted that extending help was not a race after she arrived in Cagayan earlier than Duterte.

“Hindi naman iyon unahan. Maganda nga na parang nagse-spread out din kami ng — kasi hindi lang kami ni Presidente pero pati iyong ibang government officials,” Robredo said.

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