Robredo’s camp thanks Duterte for defending OVP’s COVID-19 efforts

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte greets Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo on the sidelines of the commencement exercises of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Mabalasik’ Class of 2019 at Fort General Gregorio Del Pilar in Baguio City. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

The camp of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo is thanking President Rodrigo Duterte for defending their efforts to aid front liners amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

Through lawyer Barry Gutierrez, the spokesman of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), Robredo’s camp said on Saturday, April 4, “Nagpapasalamat kami sa pahayag ng Pangulo na hindi kasalanan ang tumulong sa kapwa Pilipino ngayong panahon ng krisis (We would like to thank the President for his statement where he said it is not wrong to help your fellow Filipino during this crisis).”

In his late-night speech on Friday, the President announced that Commissioner Manuelito Luna is “no longer part” of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), after the latter wanted to conduct a probe into what he claimed to be Robredo’s “illegal solicitations (and) actions that compete with or calculated to undermine national government efforts” to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chief Executive, however, came to the defense of the vice president, saying that there was nothing wrong about Robredo taking the initiative to help the government in its fight against COVID-19.

“Si Leni was calling the private sector na magtulong [sa gobyerno]. Naghingi siya ng tulong. Tama ‘yan. Maghingi ka ng tulong sa kapwa mo tao (Leni was calling on the private sector [to help the government.] She asked for help. That’s right. You ask help from other people),” Duterte said.

“Wala namang kasalanan ‘yung Vice President. Nag-ano nga na magtulong, bakit ipa-imbestiga mo (The Vice President did nothing wrong. She even initiated to help, why would you investigate her)?” he added.

[READ: Duterte axes PACC exec over call to probe Robredo]

Robredo’s camp earlier dismissed Luna’s statement as “so ridiculous, so inappropriate, so out of touch.”

The Vice President has been offering to assist health workers and front liners amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the help of private donors, the OVP was able to provide personal protective equipment sets, free shuttle service, dormitory, and food packs for the health care workers and other front liners.

Gutierrez said the OVP continues to call for donations and other assistance for the front liners.

“Filled to capacity tayo ngayon pero umaasa tayo na kung lalawak pa ang pagtulong ng pribadong sektor, madagdagan natin ang tulong na ating naibibigay (We are currently filled to capacity, but we are hoping that if we get more help from the private sector, then we will be able to step up the aid we are giving),” the spokesman said.