Palace unfazed by Robredo pronouncement to ‘unite’ opposition

“Vice President Leni Robredo’s decision to lead the opposition movement against the Duterte administration is hardly surprising,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.(Photo: VP Leni Robredo/Facebook)

MANILA — A move by Vice President Leni Robredo to unite and lead the opposition is hardly surprising, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“Vice President Leni Robredo’s decision to lead the opposition movement against the Duterte administration is hardly surprising,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press statement.

“After all, she is the highest elected member of the opposition,” he added.

Robredo ran as vice president of former President Benigno Aquino III’s presidential bet Mar Roxas in the 2016 polls.

She reportedly claimed that several opposition groups have asked her to unite and lead the opposition, less than a year before the 2019 mid-term elections.

Roque expressed hope that the opposition movement under Robredo would promote high level of conversation and provide alternative solutions to solve the longstanding problems of the country.

“The Palace believes that an active opposition has a vital role to play in a healthy, well-functioning democracy,” Roque said.

“Having said this, we expect that the opposition movement would not only promote responsible and constructive debate to push the national conversation to a higher level of political maturity but also present to our people a viable alternative platform of government to address the longstanding problems of the nation,” he said, adding that the Filipino people “deserve no less”.

President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Robredo as head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) in July 2016.

Robredo, however, eventually stepped down six months later due to “irreconcilable differences”.