Robredo: Duterte team believes I’m not part of ouster plot

Vice President Leni Robredo. PHOTO from Leni Robredo Media Bureau

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo said on Monday that President Duterte and most people in his team did not believe the accusations that she was involved in a plot to oust him.

Robredo said Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea laughed when she tried to clear the air last week after a Cabinet meeting.

“We know you don’t have any involvement,” Robredo recalled them as saying.

Robredo wanted to directly tell President Duterte but he had to rush off to another meeting, she said.

Robredo said the President has been supportive of her and he did not seem to doubt her sincerity.

“Any chance I could get, I always reiterate my support,” Robredo said

There were issues where she took a stand against the President’s position, such as the planned burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“He never took it against me,” Robredo said, adding that she thanked him for that during a meeting.

“His answer was our partnership was more important than the issues. I’m glad that he recognizes that even if I don’t agree on everything, it does not affect my support for him,” Robredo said.

She said the President had set a meeting on Thursday with her and agencies involved to streamline the process for housing programs.  SFM