President Duterte said Vice President Robredo belong the the yellow, read as ‘yelo’ in Filipino dialect, the ice that has long melted
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte revealed the main reason for not letting Vice President Leni Robredo attend his Cabinet meetings since December 2016.
According to the Philippines’ 16th President, Robredo was attending demonstrations calling for his ouster and he found her presence during the Cabinet meetings awkward.
“Digong”, as Duterte is commonly known to his countrymen, said that he found it odd that he would be facing her in Cabinet meetings after attending the rallies of “sore losers” who want him to step down from his post.
In an interview with CNN, Duterte complained that everytime Leni’s allies demonstrate, they would call for his ouster while the Left does not, and rather do otherwise.
He said the “Yellows”, referring to the color of the political opposition Liberal Party to which VP Leni belongs, are the one who want him out of Presidency.
He reiterated that the Liberals are “sore losers” who cannot accept that they have been defeated in the last election.
“She was with them and then the following day, we would face each other? Don’t you think it is a very incongruous thing? Not really for anything. It’s just incongruity”, he said.
The President was referring to the street and landmark rallies condemning his decision to allow the late former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.
Duterte said Vice President Robredo is identified to be with the yellows. Using his rhetoric once again, he said, “In our dialect, hielo refers to ice. That yellow has long melted.
Duterte confessed that he has seen Robredo in the demonstrations of the Liberals and he cannot stomach seeing her in the Cabinet meetings, where confidential things are being discussed.
When asked by CNN Philippines anchor Pinky Webb if he is considering offering VP Leni another post in his Cabinet, he said that he is not considering such.
Furthermore, the tough-talking president warned officials plotting for his ouster saying, “Don’t mess with me. I would probably give you a good fight and you will have a bloody nose”.
After learning through a text message that Duterte does not want her to attend Cabinet meetings anymore, Robredo tendered her resignation on December 5.
She was chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). She was immediately replaced by Cabinet Secretary and former campaign manager of Duterte, Leoncio Evasco Jr.
