Palace: Rody uncomfortable with Leni

MANILA, Philippines — It had nothing to do with her political affiliation but Vice President Leni Robredo was asked to desist from attending Cabinet meetings because her political engagements are making President Rodrigo Duterte uncomfortable, Malacañang said Tuesday.

 

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella maintained that the president has the prerogative to withdraw an appointment if he is no longer comfortable with a particular official. 

 

“The president, I suppose, felt uncomfortable with her engagement with certain political actions,” Abella said in a press conference Tuesday. 

 

Asked what political actions had impelled Duterte to ask Robredo to desist from attending Cabinet meetings, Abella replied: “I cannot speculate on that. He did not mention it.”

 

“Remember that it is his personal choice and the relationship between Cabinet members and the president is based on relationship and based on trust. And should the president come to the point where he feels that he cannot fully work with or is uncomfortable with a particular Cabinet secretary, then it is his prerogative to release such a member,” he added. 

 

Abella also clarified that Duterte’s decision had nothing to do with Robredo’s political ties. Robredo is the highest elected official of the Liberal Party.  

 

“No, it’s hardly that. It is a question of the political actions that she takes, which will be relative to, not directly the reason for,” the president’s spokesman said when asked if the irreconcilable differences are caused by Robredo’s party affiliation. 

 

Robredo was a vocal critic of Duterte's decision to allow the burial of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The vice president was present in one of the rallies denouncing the burial of Marcos at the Heroes' Cemetery. 

 

Robredo, who resigned as housing chief last Monday after she was asked not to attend Cabinet meetings, said she felt that some Cabinet members were trying to ease her out. 

 

“There are members of the Cabinet who don’t want me there, but Bongbong Marcos instead,” Robredo said, referring to Marcos by his nickname.

 

“Bongbong joined the president in China, and he was introduced as vice president. But I endured all of these,” she said in a press conference. “They are trying to ease me out. There’s no longer sense (for me to stay in the Cabinet),” she added. 

 

Abella said Marcos had nothing to do with the president’s decision to exclude Robredo in Cabinet meetings. 

 

“But based on results and based on what we objectively see, the ‘Marcos factor,’ if there was any, was not at all discussed and never surfaced during those meetings,” he said.

 

When reminded that Cabinet officials identified with the Left also joined anti-Marcos rallies but were not excluded from official meetings, Abella claimed that there was no double standard involved.

 

Among the officials who participated in protests against Marcos’ burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani were Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, National Anti-Poverty Commission chairperson Liza Maza and Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo

 

“The president recognizes that certain members, Cabinet members, because of their personal conviction and ideological beliefs were actually voicing — he allowed them that,” Abella said. 

 

“He (Duterte) said: 'This is the song of the Left.' In other words, it’s expected of them,” he added. 

 

“It's not a double standard but basically it was not a political action against, it was simply an expression of their ideological conviction.” 

 

Abella also clarified that Robredo’s exclusion from cabinet meetings was only due to differences with the president and not her performance as housing chief. 

 

“It’s a question of opinion or political stance or political actions. So, it’s not about inefficiency. So, disengage yourself from that,” he said.