Conflicting schedules of Duterte, Robredo delay meeting

MANILA, Philippines – The conflicting schedule of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo has not allowed the two leaders to meet, Robredo's team said on Thursday.

Georgina Hernandez, Robredo's spokesperson, said her office is in constant coordination with Duterte's team to find a time for the two to meet. Duterte ran under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan opposite Robredo's Liberal Party.

"Mayroon hong ugnayan ang aming mga tanggapan [with President Duterte], hindi lang nagkakatugma ang sched,” Hernandez said in a statement.

"Patuloy po ang panawagan para sa pagkakaisa upang pareho nilang magawa ang kanilang trabahong paglingkuran ang ating mga kababayan,” Hernandez added.

On Wednesday evening, Duterte’s executive assistant Christopher Bong Go said there was supposed to be a meeting in Davao City at the time Robredo was in Japan.

Robredo was in Tokyo over the weekend with her three children upon the invitation of Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel Lopez for the National Day Celebration of the Filipino community there.

Robredo said her team is trying to get an appointment with Duterte who is understandably occupied with turnover procedures.

“I understand him. He has many things on his plate, like last month, he was busy forming his Cabinet… I am just here. We have told the people around him that any time there’s a chance, I am just waiting,” Robredo said in a statement in Japan released by her staff.

Go responded to Robredo’s statement regarding her attempts to meet with Duterte and said that the president-elect is not playing "hard to get."