VP spokesman mocks Palace insistence Duterte knows how to be president

MANILA, Philippines — The spokesman of Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday mocked Malacañang’s insistence that President Rodrigo Duterte knows what it takes to be head of state.

Lawyer Barry Gutierrez had nothing but sarcasm for presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’s statements, which attempted to explain Duterte’s deriding remarks on the capability of Robredo to lead the country as president.

On Twitter, Gutierrez posted screenshots of news items on the Philippines’ lousy and inadequate response to the health crisis and captioned it with:

“Because he’s really the guy who knows all about how to lead a country competently, right?”

READ: PH ranks lowest in gov’t Covid-19 response among Asean countries

READ: PH posts worst recession in 2020

He even ended his Twitter post with a skull emoji that usually means extreme laughing.

Because he's really the guy who knows all about how to lead a country competently, right? 💀 https://t.co/ifRod61Gog pic.twitter.com/cNFsqmyV7q

— Barry Gutierrez (@barrygutierrez3) February 17, 2021

Roque earlier said that while Robredo was correct in saying it’s the public who decides what kind of qualities a president should have, he asserted that Duterte — having been at the top seat of government for nearly five years now — would know that the Vice President is not fit for the presidency.

The latest spat between Robredo and Duterte stemmed from the Vice President’s statements criticizing the President’s proposition for the United States (US) to pay up if it wants to keep the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the Philippines. Robredo and Senator Panfilo Lacson think Duterte’s offered scheme resembles extortion.

READ: Duterte tells US: Pay if you want VFA to stay

READ: Robredo on Duterte’s ‘pay for VFA’ remark: ‘Parang extortion lang’

READ: Lacson to US gov’t: Not all Filipinos are extortionists

Duterte responded to Robredo and Lacson in his pre-recorded national address aired late Monday night. Among his beef was that Robredo is not fit to be president because she is not aware that the country’s foreign policy is a prerogative of the head of state. He then advised Robredo, a lawyer like him, to take refresher courses and study the 1987 Constitution.

Duterte also rebuffed Lacson, saying he has nothing to do with it.

READ: Rebuffed by Duterte, Lacson tells him to read Constitution

But in a briefing on Tuesday evening, Robredo laughed off Duterte’s latest insults against her and emphasized that it is not for Duterte to decide whether she is capable of being the nation’s top leader.

RELATED STORIES

‘Crucial’ not to bungle vaccine rollout, Robredo warns amid GDP contraction

PH ranks 79th in COVID-19 response among 98 countries — Aussie think tank

KGA