PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Harry Roque denied that he lied on the fate of Vice President Leni Robredo in the Duterte administration’s Cabinet.
Roque was accused by Robredo’s camp of twisting facts when he said that the Vice President left the Cabinet to lead the Opposition.
Barry Gutierrez, Robredo’s spokesman, tweeted on Wednesday: “Ayoko na sanang patulan pero sobrang sinungaling eh.”
“‘Pinili’ daw ni VP Leni na umalis sa Gabinete para maging lider ng oposisyon. Hay naku, magsisinungaling na lang andali pang hulihin. Resibo,” he said, while posting a “receipt” of the President’s instructions to remove her from her post as Housing chief.
Ayoko na sanang patulan pero sobrang sinungaling eh. “Pinili” daw ni VP Leni na umalis sa Gabinete para maging lider ng oposisyon. Hay naku, magsisinungaling na lang andali pang hulihin. Resibo: pic.twitter.com/HlqGxnhvDw
— Barry Gutierrez (@barrygutierrez3) July 21, 2021
In response, Roque said: “Hindi naman po pupuwede na alter ego ng Presidente, siya pa mismo ang naninira at akala siguro ni Barry ay makakalimutan na ng taong bayan kung ano ang nangyari na iyon. Mamaya po uulitin natin nang maalaala ng lahat kung ano iyong nangyari.”
Roque explained that Robredo was told not to report to the Cabinet over her speech at the United Nations against the President.
“Ang tanong po kasi bakit ba hindi siya pinareport? Nakalimutan niya na ba na habang siya ay itinalagang gabinete, miyembro ng gabinete sa housing ay kung anu-ano ang pinagsasabi niya laban sa administrasyon ni Presidente Duterte,” he said.
Roque also said that Duterte did not fall short in including Robredo in his Cabinet. But the vice president decided to become the voice of opposition, Roque asserted.
“Si VP Leni Robredo pero siya po ang namili na nais niyang maging lider ng oposisyon kaya naging palamuti po siya nang limang taon ‘no. Pero sa mula’t mula po hindi po nagkulang ang Presidente, binigyan po siya ng Cabinet post bilang Housing Secretary,” he added.
