Robredo: As a Filipino citizen, I have a right to criticize the gov’t

Vice President Leni Robredo said Tuesday she has the right to criticize the government as a Filipino citizen and even if she is not the vice president of the Philippines.

“Kahit hindi ako VP, kahit ordinaryong mamamayan lang ako may karapatan akong ipahayag ‘yung aking mga mungkahi. May karapatan akong mag-criticize if I need to criticize, kasi ‘yun ‘yung demands ng pagiging Filipino ko. And demands sa akin as a Filipino ay maging bahagi, maging bahagi ako sa nation building,” Robredo said in an interview on Quarantined with Howie Severino.

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VP Leni has previously hit the administration’s supposed lack of clear direction in fighting the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Kasi parang napaka-frustrating tingnan. Napaka-frustrating tingnan na ‘yun nga hindi mo alam kung ano ‘yung direksyon. ‘Yung sasabihin ng isa, sasalungatin ng isa. ‘Yung direksyon ng ahensya hindi sabay-sabay,” Robredo said.

“And I think nakikita ito during the press conferences. Ako I have been religiously watching the Monday press conferences. Dapat sana’ yung press conferences for me dapat reassuring, dapat ‘di ba? Alam mo ‘yun,” she added.

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Robredo said she also saw other leaders who had more clear plans on how their country would fight the virus, such as Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

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Robredo on criticizing the gov’t

“Parang ‘pag humaharap sa publiko parang ‘yung plano nakalatag. Parang ako kung makikinig ako alam ko kung ano ang ie-expect ko ngayong linggo, ano ‘yung mangyayari, ano ‘yung targets, ano ‘yung nangyari du’n sa targets last week. Pero frustrating panoorin na parang alam mo ‘yun parang walang sense of urgency. And I think detrimental ito lalo sa mahihirap,” she said.

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The Vice President said she only wrote a letter of her recommendations on COVID-19 response in July and August because she “wanted to give [the] administration a chance.”

“Pero ‘yung sa akin lang tayo ‘yung pinakamahabang lockdown. Marami na akong nakikitang kakulangan. Parang it would ba a disservice to the people kung hindi ako magboboses ng kakulangan,” she said.

Robredo vowed that she would use her position as the vice president to advocate for people who share the same beliefs as her.