MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Friday greeted Vice President Leni Robredo on her birthday, seemingly capping his greeting with another dig at his rival for the presidency.
“Binabati ko ang ating kagalang-galang na vice president,” Moreno said in an ambush interview after a campaign sortie in Caloocan City.
“I wish her all the best, I know she’s in [a] good place,” the mayor added, referencing a similar greeting made by Robredo for actress Kim Chiu on her birthday.
This, however, was viewed askance by some considering that Robredo’s detractors had tried to poke fun at her use of the idiomatic expression “in a good place” in greeting Chiu, apparently misunderstanding her meaning that the actress is in a good situation or condition.
This expression is opposed to being “in a better place,” which referred to someone who had passed on.
Robredo is celebrating her 57th birthday on Saturday, April 23, which she will mark with a grand rally in Pasay City.
Moreno made the remark on the heels of his series of tirades against Robredo recently, calling her and her supporters “pink bullies,” and matapobre (snob), and ultimately asking her to make the supreme sacrifice of withdrawing from the presidential race.
His attacks against Robredo started during the Easter Sunday press conference that he held together with other presidential aspirants, Senator Panfilo Lacson and former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, to condemn supposed attempts from the camp of Robredo for them to back out from the race in order to fortify her chances at defeating frontrunner, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Robredo’s spokesperson Atty Barry Gutierrez has repeatedly denied the allegation, saying their camp had stopped attempts at unification when the campaign period started.
The Vice President likewise chose to shrug off Moreno’s call for her withdrawal.