Duterte ’not plastic,’ ‘consistent’ on remarks vs Robredo — Palace

MANILA, Philippines —  President Rodrigo Duterte was “not plastic” and was only being “consistent” when he launched tirades against Vice President Leni Robredo, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte’s remarks were not unpresidential, as Robredo described, citing the President’s high approval ratings as proof.

“Alam niyo hindi naman po plastik si Presidente, hindi naman niya ganoon lang ginawa yan. Consistent po ang behavior ng Presidente. Is that unpresidential? I don’t think so,” Roque said in an online briefing.

(The President is not a hypocrite. It’s not only now that he did that. His behavior is consistent. Is that unpresidential? I don’t think so.)

“Ninety-one percent of the people have said that they trust and believe that the President is performing well in doing his duties. Is it unpresidential? According to 91 percent of our people, no. According to 5 percent, including the Vice President, yes,” he added, citing a recent Pulse Asia survey.

Duterte opened his report to the nation on Tuesday night by claiming that Robredo made it appear he was absent during Typhoon Ulysses’ onslaught. However, Robredo did not make such remarks. The Vice President herself also denied the accusation, but Roque insisted that Duterte had a basis for his claims.

“Sa atin lang po, pinaninindigan natin na may basehan ang Presidente sa kanyang mga binitawang salita,” Roque said.

(For us, we stand by the fact that the President has the basis for his words.)

Roque reiterated that Robredo supposedly made it appear that she was in charge of the government’s typhoon response efforts.

Robredo has denied giving orders to the military and police, saying she merely communicated the information her office received to authorities. [ac]