Take everything Leni says with her campaign ad jingle – Roque

Vice President Leni Robredo/Screengrab from The Office of the Vice President website

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Monday dismissed Vice President (VP) Leni Robredo’s latest criticisms of the government’s response against the COVID-19 pandemic as “politicking” and must be construed “together with her jingle for 2022.”

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque responded to Robredo’s comment that the pandemic response lacks a leader, making her tempted to ask the administration for blanket authority.

READ: Robredo tempted to seek authority over PH’s COVID-19 response: It would be better

“Ang mga sinasabi ni VP Leni, you need to consider in connection with her ongoing advertisement. Pulitika na talaga, so to complement her paid advertisement for whatever position she will run, kasama na diyan ‘yung mga sinasabi niya sa gobyerno,” he said in a Palace briefing.

(It is only politics, so to complement her paid advertisement for whatever position she will run, her pronouncements against the government are included.)

“Lahat ng manggagaling sa bibig ni VP Leni, isabay ninyo ‘yan sa jingle na pinatutugtog. Alam ninyo na kung bakit sinasabi niya ‘yan. It’s elections 2022,” he added.

(Everything that comes from VP Leni’s mouth, combine that with the jingle that is being played. You know why he says that.)

Roque also dismissed Robredo’s comments that government efforts to dig up personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement during the Aquino administration appeared as a “lame effort” to divert attention away from the alleged overpriced medical supplies during the pandemic.

READ: Robredo hits ‘lame attempt’ to divert PPE ‘overprice’ issue

The Palace official maintained that there is no overpricing in the Duterte administration’s purchase of PPEs worth around P1,700 when the Aquino administration bought PPEs at around P3,800.

Roque also pointed out that the PPEs bought by the Duterte administration are compliant with the standards of the World Health Organization.

READ: ‘Overpriced?’ Roque turns table on opposition, says PPEs bought during Aquino admin costlier

“Spoken like a true candidate for 2022. Napakalaki ng diperensya (It is a big deal) for them to wiggle their way out of this reality,” he said.

“Anything that comes out now of the mouth of the VP, please construe it together with her jingle for 2022,” he added.