OVP spox chides Roque anew: It’s admin focusing on politics amid pandemic

Atty. Barry Gutierrez, spokesperson of Vice President Leni Robredo. INQUIRER.net file photo / Noy Morcoso

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo’s spokesperson has countered claims from the Malacañang that the opposition leader is gearing for a presidential bid in 2022, stressing that it is the administration who is posturing amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lawyer and former lawmaker Barry Gutierrez used screenshots of news headlines — again — to prove his point on Thursday that contrary to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s claims, administration allies are the one floating the idea of running in 2022.

Roque said in an earlier press briefing that they are not wasting time criticizing  Robredo as the latter’s camp claimed, adding that the Vice President is already engaged in politicking to gain political mileage.

“Sino nga ulit ang namumulitika at nangangampanya SA GITNA NG PANDEMYA? Lantarang lokohan na ito eh,” Gutierrez said in a tweet.

Sino nga ulit ang namumulitika at nangangampanya SA GITNA NG PANDEMYA? Lantarang lokohan na ito eh. https://t.co/xUsCTkcb88 pic.twitter.com/dqruXznxeA

— Barry Gutierrez (@barrygutierrez3) March 11, 2021

READ: Leni camp: Admin spends more time bashing Robredo than solving problems

Among the screenshots included by Gutierrez are headlines implying that President Rodrigo Duterte’s aide and now Senator Bong Go is “ripe” for a presidential run, stories on the tarpaulins that urge Duterte daughter and Davao Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and Roque’s controversial visit to Cebu last December 2020.

Earlier, President Duterte himself said that Go wants to become president, but the Senator insisted that it is only the Chief Executive’s joke.  However, Go said that he might change his mind if the President runs for Vice President — an idea floated by some of Duterte’s allies in their party, PDP-Laban.

READ: Duterte bares Bong Go’s presidential dream but senator says it’s a joke

On the other hand, tarpaulins asking Duterte-Carpio to run in 2022 floated in a lot of areas across the country, even if both father and daughter have denied any plans.

READ: Duterte says daughter Inday Sara ‘not running’ for president

This is not the first time Gutierrez and Roque, both lawyers and former University of the Philippines professors, have clashed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also, this is not the first time Gutierrez used screenshots to mock the government: last February, he poked fun at Roque’s insistence that Duterte knows what it takes to be a president by sharing news items showing the Philippines’ dismal ranking in terms of its Covid-19 response.

This was after Robredo laughed off Duterte’s assertions that she is not fit to be president — as rumors circulate about a possible showdown between her and Duterte-Carpio.

JPV