Duterte offers Robredo a Cabinet post

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 3 6:42 p.m.) — President Rodrigo Duterte recently changed his mind about refusing to let Vice President Leni Robredo join his Cabinet.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said at a televised press conference on Thursday that Duterte earlier his special assistant, Secretary Christopher "Bong" Go, to call Robredo and inform her of appointment to lead the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

"Well I could only speculate... I believe there was some sort of warming up between the two. In the newspaper it was reported that the past two meetings between the two are very amiable," Aguirre said, referring to Robredo's courtesy call on Duterte earlier this week.

Aguirre said Robredo was asked to join the Cabinet meeting on Monday.

Robredo's spokesperson Georgina Hernandez on Twitter also reposted a report that the vice president, who ran under the banner of the opposing Liberal Party, was chosen to take the helm at HUDCC.

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The post was the same President Benigno Aquino III of the Liberal Party gave former Vice President Jejomar Binay, who ran with the rival United Nationalist Alliance. Binay's successor, Noli de Castro, also occupied the same position.

Before his inauguration, Duterte said he would not appoint Robredo to his Cabinet as the move could endanger his alliance with Robredo's rival candidate, Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Robredo and Duterte held separate inaugural ceremonies, with the president taking his oath at Malacañan's Rizal Hall, while Robredo had hers at the Quezon City Reception House where she holds official residence.

The two top leaders met for the first time at the turnover ceremony of the Armed Forces of the Philippines at military headquarters Camp Crame last Friday, the day after the inaugural events. — Camille Diola