Vice President Leni Robredo said that there were a number of missed opportunities working with the Duterte administration due to controversies, opposing views and lack of trust from the Duterte cabinet.
“Ang ating parang hino-hope, iyong sanang mangyayari, iyong magandang working relationship between sa Pangulo at saka sa Pangalawang Pangulo. Kasi iyon naman ang nararapat sana,” Robredo said in her weekly radio show.
The Vice President added that from the beginning she felt President Duterte’s distrust on her.
“‘Mula sa umpisa, ang signals nandoon na. Kung naalala mo ayaw ng Pangulo na makihalo sa inauguration. In fact, mayroon na noong preparation for a joint inauguration kasi iyon naman ang tradisyon, pero sinabihan kami na ayaw makihalo ng Pangulo sa atin. Tingin ko, iyon pagpapakita na na magkakaroon ng problema kasi ang tingin na sa atin kalaban mula sa umpisa,” she added.
Robredo was a member of the cabinet in 2016 but resigned months after due to her statements agains extra judicial killings or EJK.
“Pero siguro talagang, wala siguro ang tiwala sa atin, ‘di ba naakusahan tayo na sumali tayo sa isang… naakusahan tayo na sumali tayo sa isang rally sa EDSA na hindi naman totoo. Pero base sa maling accusation, hindi na tayo pinapa-attend ng Cabinet meeting. Iyon unfortunate dahil dapat sana nagtutulungan kami. Dapat sana nagtutulungan kami,” she said.
Robredo added that her office made their own initiative to help the poor through their ‘Angat Buhay’ projects.
In 2018, Robredo expressed her willingness to work with the Duterte Cabinet again.
