Duterte accuses LP of seeking to oust him

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte Wednesday accused the Liberal Party (LP) of seeking his ouster and hinted that such efforts are being staged to benefit Vice President Leni Robredo.

 

“The yellows, you stage demonstrations, you want me out because you cannot accept defeat,” Duterte said during the United Nations convention against corruption in Malacañang. 

 

He was referring to the campaign color of LP, the political group of the previous administration. 

 

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“Heto politika yan (It’s about politics)...they wanted me out siyempre yung (of course the) vice president. You had your chance,” the president said.

 

Duterte made the statement two days after Robredo resigned as housing chief because of “irreconcilable differences” with the president. The remarks also came a week after LP personalities joined protests against Duterte’s decision to allow the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. 

 

In the same speech, Duterte questioned when the drug industry blossomed but did not explicitly say whether the LP is to blame for the problem. 

 

READ: Liberal Party solons: Bongbong pursuing own Plan B

 

Robredo claimed that she was being eased out by the Cabinet and that attempts to steal the vice presidency from her are now in motion.

 

Duterte’s ally, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, claimed that Robredo could be the one plotting to oust the president.