President Rodrigo Roa Duterte chats with Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo at the sidelines of the 38th Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Commencement Exercises for ‘Masidlak’ Class of 2017 at Camp General Mariano N. Castañeda in Silang, Cavite on March 24, 2017. Also in the photo is Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno. KING RODRIGUEZ/Presidential Photo
SILANG, Cavite — For the first time since the impeachment issue surfaced, President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo will share the same stage at the commencement exercises of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Masidlak” Class of 2017 on Friday.
Duterte and Robredo are facing impeachment raps filed by the critics of both officials.
The ceremony will take place here at Camp Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite. The two highest officials will not, however, be seated beside each other. Interior Secretary Sueno will sit between them.
The last time Duterte and Robredo shared the stage was also during a graduation ceremony. They were both present at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Salaknib” Class of 2017 graduation at Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City.
Duterte will deliver a message before the 144 graduating cadets and hand the Presidential Kampilan award to class valedictorian Cadet Macdum Enca.
Robredo, meanwhile, will give the Vice Presidential Kampilan award to the second top ranking cadet Midzfar Omar.
The Vice President arrived shortly before 9 a.m. The officials, families, relatives and friends of the graduates are still waiting for the arrival of Duterte.
The ceremony is expected to start at 10:15 a.m. JE