Pres. Duterte apologizes to Vice Pres. Robredo on their first public meeting.
DUTERTE APOLOGIZES – Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in the midst of his speech at the Philippine Military Academy, apologized to Vice Pres. Leni Robredo for failing to greet her.
Based on a news report in Inquirer, the 71-year-old President failed to mention Vice Pres. Robredo on the introductory part of his speech at the PMA. Pres. Duterte then apologized to Vice Pres. Robredo after his aide informed him about it.
The President told the Vice President that failing to greet her “was not done intentionally”. According to him, Vice Pres. Robredo was not included by the person who “wrote” the speech.
Pres. Duterte even jested: “Ang nagsulat ma’am dito hindi ka sinali. Bugbugin na lang natin [The one who wrote this did not include you. Let’s just beat [the writer].”
The people who were there at the PMA graduation laughed and clapped their hands upon hearing the statement of the President based on the report.
Pres. Duterte then expressed his apology and acknowledged Vice Pres. Robredo whom she tagged as “beautiful lady”.
Moreover, according to the news report, opposite to the usual practice during this valuable event at the PMA, the highest official and the second highest official in the country were not seated beside each other.
Between Pres. Duterte and Vice Pres. Robredo is Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana.
According to the news report, it was Vice Pres. Robredo who presented the Vice Presidential Saber to Philip Vizcaya, the Salaknib Class’ No.2 student.
The Vice President who was wearing a purple dress during the event has met with the Top 10 graduates of the Salaknib Class before the PMA graduation ceremonies started according to the news report.
Based on the report, this is the first meeting of Pres. Duterte and Vice Pres. Robredo in public since the Vice President left her post as the housing secretary.
The resignation of the Vice President as the chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council came after she was prohibited from attending the Cabinet meetings based on a previous news report.
Vice Pres. Robredo vowed that her advocacy of building roofs for the families who have no homes will continue. Based on the report, she expressed that they will still be active in the housing as they understand the problem.