Vice President Robredo said President Rodrigo Duterte should not be too sensitive or “onion-skinned” when it comes to criticisms after the latter accused her of competing with him on responding to typhoon operations.
The President had what the netizens called “Duterte meltdown” on Tuesday night and threw threats and accusations at Robredo.
“Para sa’tin, dapat kasi di tayo balat-sibuyas sa ganyan, kasi traditionally naman kung sino ang nakaupo marami talagang reklamo ang tao. Di dapat siya nagiging dahilan para magaway-away lalo na sa panahon na dapat nagtutulong-tulungan,” she said in a Facebook live while extending aid in Ragay town, Camarines Sur.
(For us, we should not be ‘onion-skinned’ to those kinds of things because the public traditionally has many complaints against those in power. It shouldn’t be a reason to sow discord when we should be helping each other.)
“Kahit nung time ni PNoy (former President Benigno Aquino III) ginagamit na ‘yung hashtag na ‘yan. ‘Yung ngayon, di lang yata ngayong typhoon, parang ginamit na siya even before.”
(That hashtag was used even during the time of PNoy. This administration, I think it was used even before the typhoon.)
Robredo to Duterte: Don’t be ‘onion-skinned’ to criticism
A visibly angry Duterte called Robredo “a dishonest person” and claimed the Vice President spearheaded the #NasaanAngPangulo (where is the President?)
“You are presuming that I should be giving orders on the day of the storm. That is stupid… That is why you cannot be president. Mahina ka. You do not give orders on the day of the war, patay ka,” Duterte said.
Duterte also threatened Robredo’s possible bid for the presidency.
“Marami ako sabihin sa’yo. Reserba ko na lang. When you start your campaign, waswasan kita. This is your nightmare,” he warned.
The President continued to question Robredo’s whereabouts at night, what time she goes home, and where.
VP Leni said it was “unpresidential” of Duterte for telling her that he would insult her if she runs for president in 2022.
“I think that’s very unpresidential pero karapatan niya namang sabihin kung ano ang dapat niyang sabihin pero siguraduhin niya lang na tama ‘yung pinagbabasehan niya and in this case, mali siya,” she said.
(I think that’s very unpresidential but it’s his right to say whatever he needs to say, he should just make sure he has a basis, and in this case, he’s wrong.)