Leni hopes Rody will fulfill promise to stop cursing

MANILA, Philippines - Vice President Leni Robredo hopes President Duterte will keep his promise not to curse anymore.

In an interview in Naga City yesterday, Robredo said there are people, especially in the international community, who are not used to such expletives.

“Even if he has no intention to offend, people might give other meaning to his messages,” she said.

Robredo, along with daughters Aika, Tricia and Jillian, visited the tomb of her husband, the late interior secretary Jesse Robredo, at the Eternal Gardens in Naga City yesterday.

Duterte is known for lacing his public remarks with expletives and cuss words directed at his critics.

The Vice President stressed the President, like her, is in a different situation now and not all people may agree with him.

“Before, in Davao, no matter what President Duterte says the people of Davao will understand him. That is also my situation – before, even if I become careless with my words, my constituents here will understand me. But now that our audience is bigger, there are many people who might not be familiar with our character,” she said.

Prior to his election, Duterte served as mayor of Davao City for many years, while Robredo was a representative of Camarines Sur’s third congressional district before being elected as vice president last May.

Duterte said he made the promise to God after reportedly hearing His voice on his flight back to the Philippines from Japan last week.

“I was looking at the skies as I was coming over here. And I... everybody was asleep snoring. A voice said that you know ‘If you don’t stop, I will bring this plane down now.’ And I said, who is this? Of course, it’s God. Oh, OK. So, I promised God not to express slang, cuss words,” he said.

Meanwhile, Robredo said she has a good working relationship with the President.

“He treats me well. In fact, he swiftly granted some of my requests. For instance, when I asked him to call the heads of housing agencies for a meeting, he immediately convened them,” she said.

“It’s already a big thing to me that he was the one who called them for a meeting with me. Every time I report in the Cabinet meeting, he always agrees and he is very supportive.” 

Robredo chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.