Duterte warns Robredo of 2022 nightmare

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has threatened that things will not be easy should Vice President Leni Robredo decide to run for president in the 2022 elections as he would be her “nightmare.”

Duterte aired his gripe against Robredo, whom he accused of criticizing him for making himself scarce during the onslaught of Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses that left scores dead amid massive flooding in Luzon.

“Next time, do not make a mistake, or I’ll be forced to insult you because you are playing too much. Nagpapa-beauty ka (You are making yourself look good). It’s not the time for you,” the President said during a nationwide address after meeting the core members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) last Tuesday night.

Duterte lambasted Robredo and stressed that she was lying to the Filipino people for making it appear that he was missing in action while Filipinos were bearing the brunt of strong winds and rains brought by the typhoons.

The Chief Executive said he would already be on his way out of office during the campaign for the 2022 elections, and by that time, he could carry out the most he could do against her electoral plans, and that would be her “nightmare” when she runs for higher office.

“During the campaign, papaalis na ako. Sige subukan mo. Matagal na ako maraming gusto sabihin sa yo. Ireserba ko. When you start your campaign ’pag magtakbo ka ng presidente, waswasan kita nang husto. This is your nightmare,” he added.

The President lamented that while Ulysses was barreling through Luzon, #NasaanAngPangulo (Where is the President?) trended on social media as netizens questioned his absence.

At the time, Duterte was attending the 37th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Leaders’ Summit through digital teleconference.

The President also pointed out that even the Vice President’s daughters have joined in the political fray by questioning his whereabouts and accusing him of still sleeping since it was a weekend.

Duterte maintained that he has not stopped working even if people do not see him.

“I am a night person, and I do my job mostly from 2 p.m. onwards until the following morning as I pore over all the documents that come to my table,” he said.

The President likewise accused Robredo of competing with him in ordering the military and the police as well as other government personnel in addressing disasters such as floods.

“What you do not know is you do not give out orders on the very day, but that even beforehand, you already talk to the military and other security and disaster personnel how to deal with the situation on the ground,” Duterte said.

The Chief Executive likewise said the Vice President has a lot to learn when it comes to governance and how to run government.

Apology

Apologizing for the wrong information he had earlier released, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday clarified that Robredo did not use any military aircraft to travel to Catanduanes to bring relief items and visit typhoon victims.

“Yes, she is correct. She never was aboard a C-130. Only relief goods from (the Office of the Vice President) were ferried to Catanduanes by (helicopter),” Lorenzana told reporters.

The defense chief said he apologized to Robredo’s chief of staff Rapa Lopa after verifying the information from the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

“Sal Panelo apologizes this (afternoon) in his program and will again apologize in his counterpoint tomorrow. I also apologize. I should have checked the veracity of the report to me,” Lorenzana said.

“I requested the Philippine Air Force to confirm through their flight manifest and they reported that there was no instance that Vice President Robredo boarded any military aircraft in going to Catanduanes,” he further explained in an official statement.

“However, there was a jibed mission using an Air Force ‘Huey’ helicopter that brought relief goods from the Vice President from Legazpi City, Albay to Catanduanes last Nov. 3,” he said.

Lorenzana said he has sent his apologies to Robredo for making a comment based on an erroneous report submitted to him.

No issue

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) likewise clarified that there is no issue at all with the Vice President using the military’s assets.

“If you’re going to ask us about the Vice President using naval, air or land assets, there’s no problem with that, we can help her,” AFP spokesman Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in mixed English and Filipino at a virtual press briefing.

“Of course, we need to have initial coordination so that the military personnel will know her destination, the security package that we need to provide her,” he added.

In fact, Arevalo said Robredo’s security detachment has a pending request for assistance from the AFP in her planned trips to various typhoon-ravaged areas in the country in the coming days.

Arevalo emphasized that there is no issue or problem with the Vice President requesting use of AFP assets for as long as there is proper coordination ahead of time and depending on the availability of such assets and personnel, especially when the military also has a big need for them at present. – Michael Punongbayan

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