Vice President Leni Robredo defended her daughters against bullying after they posted tweets seemingly directed to President Rodrigo Duterte during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses.
“Ngayon, ang binubully mga anak ko. I have always been proud of the persons my daughters have become. They are their own persons. What they have accomplished, so far, are all borne out of their hard work. They never used our name or whatever little influence we have to get what they want,” Robredo said.
“They’re all adults now. They’re not in government. They are not politicians, and they don’t plan to be. Totoo, they’re outspoken and rightfully so. We have trained them to stand up for themselves and what they believe in,” she added.
Robredo decried the bullying after presidential spokesperson Harry Roque accused Robredo’s daughters of attacking Duterte during typhoon Ulysses.
Roque said that Tricia Robredo, on November 14, asked her followers on Twitter, “Tulog pa rin? Alas otso na.” Aika Robredo then replied, “Sabado, eh, weekend.”
Robredo defends daughters against bullying
“Hindi po nakakatulong na bagama’t hindi ko alam kung talagang nagsabi si Vice President kung nasaan si Presidente, eh tingnan ninyo ito, kung hindi man siya eh mayroong mga malapit sa kaniya na nagsabi,” Roque said.
He added Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez reportedly criticized Duterte’s decision to spend most of his time in Malacañang while Ulysses ravaged Luzon.
Likewise, Roque quoted Gutierrez over VP Leni’s weekly radio show saying, “Sabi nga Ka Ely, kung talagang gusto, may paraan; pero kung ayaw gawin ay maraming dahilan. Kung tatanungin mo iyong security sasabihin niya, kung maaari huwag na, nandoon na mismo ang principal, kung tutuloy siya o hindi.”
The Palace official then justified Duterte’s insults on Robredo by saying it was her supporters behind the hashtag “#NasaanAngPangulo,” including Robredo’s daughters and spokesperson.
“Alam ninyo hindi naman po plastic si Presidente at hindi naman niya ngayon lang ginawa iyan. Consistent po ang behavior ng Presidente. Is that unpresidential? I don’t think so because 91% of the people have said that they trust and they believe that the President is performing well in his duties. Is it unpresidential? According to 91% of our people, no; according to 5%, including the Vice President, yes,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.
“Sa mula’t mula ganiyan po si Presidente, tinanggap naman siya ng taumbayan at hindi na po siya magbabago ‘no para lang matuwa iyong ilan sa ating lipunan. No explanations required, ganoon po talaga si Presidente and we accepted him as such,” Roque added.