Robredo said high government officials should serve as an inspiration to the citizenry.
Vice President Leonor “Leni” Robredo was saddened by the dubbed “character assassination” targeting Senator Leila De Lima.
According to the vice president, it is unfortunate that the friction between De Lima President Rodrigo Duterte had to go down to personal attacks.
The second highest official of the Philippines said that it is inevitable that people differ in beliefs and have varied opinion regarding the issues being faced by the country but she insisted that everybody is entitled to be heard and respected.
Robredo emphasized that high government officials must serve as inspiration to other officials, especially to the entirety of the Filipinos.
Robredo believes that personal attacks cannot help in solving issues being faced by the nation.
Meanwhile, the local government of Iriga City, De Lima’s hometown, has expressed their support and sympathy to the lady senator.
Iriga City Mayor Madelaine Alfelor-Gazmen said everybody should exercise caution in their words.
Gazmen appealed for respect to Senator De Lima, instead of “below the belt” or character assassination against her.
She suggested to the president to answer (and perhaps address) the issue on the rampant extrajudicial killings because these are De Lima’s point of question.
The local chief executive does not believe that De Lima has a driver-lover and instead, suggested the possibility of misinterpretation. She said that people might have seen the senator’s closeness to her driver differently.
Gazmen added, Duterte must put in mind that he is now the president of the Philippines and not a mere mayor from Davao.
Duterte said that her driver was the one who’s collecting money for her during the campaign. The revelation of the affair of De Lima and her driver astonished the people.
“Her driver herself, who was her lover, was the one also collecting money for her during the campaign,” Duterte said.