Vice President Leni Robredo (Image from OVP)
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo has the right to launch a non-government organization for as long as laws are followed.
Atty. Vic Rodriguez, spokesperson of presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said this Monday after Robredo announced that the “Angat Buhay NGO” – derived from the Office of the Vice President’s Angat Buhay program – will soon be launched.
“Okay naman ‘yun. Karapatan naman ng lahat ng tao na mag-organisa at gumawa ng anumang layunin nila,” Rodriguez said in an interview on Teleradyo.
(That’s fine. Everyone has the right to organize and do things for their goals.)
“Basta yung amin, ‘yung ating mga kalayaan, may kaakibat na responsibilidad. For as long as you are exercising your rights within the bounds of the law, sa tingin ko rerespetuhin yan ng kahit na sinong demokratikong pamahalaan at pamumuno kagaya ni incoming president Bongbong,” he added.
(For us, with freedom comes great responsibility. For as long as you are exercising your rights within the bounds of the law, I believe any democratic government will respect that like incoming president Bongbong Marcos.)
Based on the partial and unofficial count of the Commission on Elections, with over 98 percent of the election returns processed, Robredo is way behind Marcos Jr. in the presidential polls.
Marcos Jr. has garnered over 31.1 million votes while Robredo got over 14.8 million votes.
“Ang atin lang (For us), do your right, exercise your right under the Constitution and other prevailing laws within the bounds of the law. Respect the Constitution, respect the laws and we will be okay,” Rodriguez said.
“Now, if you are violating the law, undermining the Constitution, may kaakibat na responsibilidad yun. Dapat handa ka ring harapin kung anuman yun,” he added.
(Now, if you are violating the law, undermining the Constitution, there is a responsibility that comes with it. You should be ready to face that.)