Lawyer downplays anti-VP rally: Duterte respects Robredo mandate

The legal counsel of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo on Sunday downplayed the indignation rally set by some supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte in Luneta dubbed as “Palit Bise” (Change the VP).

In a statement, lawyer Barry Gutierrez noted that even President Duterte himself showed respect for the mandate of Robredo despite impeachment threats being hurled against the country’s two highest officials.

READ: Duterte clear Robredo in ‘destabilization’ efforts

“Malinaw na batay sa huli nilang pagkikita, nakatutok ang Pangulo at Pangalawang Pangulo sa kani-kanilang trabaho. May kapwa paggalang sa mandato ng bawat isa (It was clear that based on their latest meeting, both the President and Vice President are focused on their jobs. They both respect each other’s mandate),” Gutierrez said.

“Kung sa kabila nito may iilang supporter ng Pangulo na nagpupumilit pa ring lumihis sa pasya niyang ito, siguro sa kanya sila dapat magpaliwanag (If, despite this, some of the President’s supporters are insisting on contradicting his stance, then maybe they should do some explaining to him),” he added.

The two officials last shared the stage during the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) graduation rites last month, when Duterte invited Robredo to a dinner with each other’s families. Robredo has assured the President that she had no involvement in alleged destabilization plots against his administration.

READ: ‘Let her be,’ Duterte tells people who want Robredo impeached

Duterte has also repeatedly rejected impeachment threats against Robredo and cleared her of involvement in the ouster moves against him. But in one instance, during his speech before the Filipino community in Myanmar, Duterte quipped that Robredo was “in a rush” to replace him as President.

Vocal Duterte supporters Mocha Uson and lawyer Bruce Rivera will headline the protest action. It will start at 4 p.m. at the Quirino Grandstand.

The rally’s name is a play on the term “Palit Ulo” (Head Swap), which Robredo used in her video message to the United Nations panel on illegal drugs. The scheme, the Vice President said, involved policemen taking family members or relatives of drug suspects if the latter could not be found. The PNP has denied Robredo’s claims.

Since her resignation from the Duterte Cabinet last year, Robredo has been critical of some of the administration’s policies, including the bloody war on drugs, plan to reinstate death penalty in the country, and the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery)./rga

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