Vice President Leni Robredo said that she is not hurt by the recent rants of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Both top officials have been trading barbs in recent weeks over the government’s COVID-19 response.
In an interview on GMA News, Robredo responded to Duterte’s remarks that she looked like an angel but with a mind of a devil.
The President also accused her of baiting him so that he would get inoculated in public.
RELATED STORY: ‘Sobrang Pikon’: Robredo says Duterte’s remarks against her not ‘presidential’
“Silver lining, at least he admitted I have an angelic face,” she said in jest.
Robredo on the other hand said that she would not stoop down on his level and she will continue to become critical if she sees anything wrong in the government’s COVID-19 response.
“Karapatan niyang sabihin kung anong nasa isip niya. Para sa akin, unbecoming ‘yun,” she said.
Robredo said that being too sensitive could also lead you to lose an argument.
“Dapat sa trabaho namin, hindi kami napipikon eh, kasi sa trabaho namin, kailangan iyong tao malayang mag-criticize eh. Kailangan iyong tao malayang magbigay ng suggestions, kasi iyon iyong makakapabuti sa aming panunungkula,” she said.
In the same interview, Robredo said that she finds Duterte’s recent remarks not fit for a president.
“Ang unang dating sa akin parang hindi pangulo ang nagsasalita. Pangalawa sobrang pikon,” she said. Robredo said thatpeople should be allowed to make suggestion in the government’s response in the COVID-19 pandemic including the government’s vaccination program.
“Kelangan yung tao malayang magbigay ng suggestions,” she said.
“You seem to have an angel face but a devilish mind,” Duterte said in a speech on Monday.
The President also responded to Robredo’s call for him to be vaccinated in public. Duterte said that Robredo might be thinking that he had been vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Masyado ka apurado… Nagdududa ka kasi nagpabakuna na ako kasama ng mga sundalo… You want me to go into a trap,” Duterte said.
“You want to be relevant, sometimes you make an idiotic stance,” he added.
Duterte said that he himself wants the best vaccine for front liners but there is no vaccine available that can be purchased.
“Para mahinto ka, kunin mo yung basket mo, mamalengke ka ng bakuna sa labas. Kung marunong kang VP Robredo makinig, walang available na bakuna ngayon kahit nakawin mo o bayaran mo. Kahit ibang bansa, hirap.,” he said. (TDT)
