Palace: No need to name Robredo as IATF chief

Malacañang has rejected the call of former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to have Vice President Leni Robredo lead the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Robredo had been “helping in her own ways” in the government’s fight against the coronavirus.

“She is helping in her own ways and if her intentions are genuine, there is no need for her to be appointed or designated in the IATF, as suggested by the former senator,” Roque said on Friday.

He was referring to Trillanes’ challenge for the Palace to appoint the Vice President to lead the IATF if the government really wanted to defeat the pandemic.

The former opposition senator said Robredo would lead a better campaign against COVID-19, as he criticized Roque for telling Robredo to present solutions instead of criticizing the government.

In response, Roque slammed the ex-Magdalo rebel for “sowing intrigue and division during this challenging time of COVID-19.”

He said his remarks to Robredo would not diminish her contributions to the COVID-19 response.

In March, Robredo initiated bus transportation services for health-care workers affected by the ban on public transport due to the Luzon-wide lockdown.

Her office also raised funds to purchase personal protective equipment and arrange temporary dormitories for medical front-liners.