President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday categorically denied being a part of a plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that move to displace him would not bring any good to the country.
“Ito pong oust Duterte [plot], siguradong hindi ako kasali. Kung mayroon mang ganyang plano. Unang-una sinasabi na kasali ako doon dahil sumama ako sa mga rallies against him (the president). Iyon po hindi totoo. Misinformed si Presidente doon,” Robredo told reporters in Iloilo.
(I am sure that I did not take part on any plot to oust Duterte, if there is indeed such a plot. First of all, I am being accused of joining rallies against him. That is not true. The president was misinformed on that.)
READ: Robredo clarifies: I never joined any anti-Duterte rally
Robredo insisted that any move to oust the President would not bring any good to the country.
READ: Robredo: I have no political skill to plot Duterte ouster
“Before hindi ko alam kung anong dahilan, pero when the President was interviewed last Christmas, sinabi niya na I was part of rallies to oust him. Iyon po wala iyong katotohanan – wala akong sinalihan na kahit anong rally,” she said.
(I do not know what his basis was, but when the president was interviewed last Christmas, he said that I was a part of rallies to oust him. That is not true, I did not join any rally.)
She also said that she did not attend even the anti-Marcos burial rallies late last year where she was invited.
Robredo explained that her criticisms of the president in certain issues are not tantamount to calling for his ouster.
“Ang sa akin po, ang ‘pag criticize ko ang pagnanais noon, na pakinggan tayo ng ating Pangulo tungkol sa mga bagay na we feel so strongly about, gaya ng extrajudicial killings. Pero iyong ‘pag criticize kasi pagpuna, hindi iyon tantamount to tanggalin siya,” Robredo added.
(For me, I criticize the president so he can hear us out on issues we feel strongly about, like extrajudicial killings. But my criticisms are not tantamount to calling for his ouster.) IDL