MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday, December 8, that Philippine Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo will stay in her position until the end of her term.
In an ambush interview during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay, Duterte said, “I will assure Leni and the rest of the Bicol region that you will have her until the very end of her term. There is no such thing as removing a vice president.” The people applauded when they heard his answer.
When he was asked about their irreconcilable differences, the President also clarified that there has never been any bad blood between him and Leni.
After Robredo has been barred from attending the Cabinet meetings and resigned in the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chair she said that “I will not allow the vice presidency to be stolen.”
Robredo thanked Duterte
The Vice President then thanked Duterte for the assurance.
In an interview at Meet Inquirer Multimedia Forum on Thursday, December 08, Robredo answered the President’s statement with “Thank you. I would like to see it as a reassurance.”
“Sana hindi lang sa Bicol sabihin (I hope he doesn’t say it just in Bicol) but all over the country,” she was quoted as saying in an exclusive interview with Inquirer.net.
Bicol is the hometown of Leni Robredo.