One seat to separate Duterte, Robredo at PMA rites

President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo (right and left, foreground) share a light moment in this photo taken during their first meeting after taking office in July 2016. The two highest officials of the land will again share the stage on Sunday, March 12, 2017, when they attend the graduation rites of the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City. PHOTO FROM LENI ROBREDO TWITTER ACCOUNT

FORT DEL PILAR, Baguio City — President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo will share the stage on Sunday as they attend the graduation of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) here.

The country’s two highest leaders, whose relationship got strained after Robredo quit her Cabinet post, will be seated one seat away from each other.

Duterte will be the guest of honor and speaker at the rites, where he will award the presidential saber to 23-year old Cadet First Class Rovi Mairel Valino who topped 167 mistahs of the “Salaknib” Class of 2017.

Robredo will award the vice presidential saber to Cadet First Class Philip Viscaya.

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The two leaders arrived here on Saturday to attend two separate events.

The PMA graduation will be the second time Duterte and Robredo will meet this year after the Legislative-Executive Development and Advisory Council (Ledac) session in January.

In December 2016, Robredo resigned from Duterte’s Cabinet just 150 days after she took her oath as chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

The resignation followed Duterte’s decision to bar her from attending Cabinet meetings. CBB

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