(Eagle News) — Vice President Leni Robredo on Friday, Oct. 5, hit back at President Rodrigo Duterte after he called her “weak” in a speech before Philippine Military Academy alumni the day before.
“Wala namang may gustong magkasakit ang Pangulo. Pero hindi dahilan ang sakit para maliitin na naman ako,” Robredo said in a statement.
Robredo then blamed Duterte’s “ways (diskarte)” for what she said were the increase in the prices of goods, increased poverty, corruption allegations and the thousands of Filipinos killed.
“Hindi ko ugali ang mamulitika; mas gusto kong tahimik na magtrabaho. Pero sasabihin ko ito ngayon: ang tapang, lakas, at diskarte, hindi nadadaan sa mapanirang salita. Ang kailangan ng taumbayan ay tapang sa gawa,” Robredo said.
“Umaksyon tayo sa problema ng bayan, kaysa puro sisi ang binabato: sa dating administrasyon, sa kanyang mga kritiko, sa akin. Sinumpaan naming mga lider na magtatrabaho kami para sa mga kapwa naming Pilipinong bumabangon araw-araw para mabigyan ng mas magandang buhay ang kanilang pamilya,” she added.
In his speech, Duterte said that while Robredo was “very good, gentle,” she was “weak,” and this weakness, Duterte said, was something the Left could take advantage of.
Duterte belittled Robredo’s leadership qualities in other previous speeches, saying he would much rather have the likes of Senator Chiz Escudero and former Senator Bongbong Marcos succeed him.
