Robredo tells Duterte: ‘Untenable’ to remain in Cabinet after order to ‘desist from attending’ meetings

Vice President Leni Robredo said it "has become untenable" to stay in President Rodrigo Duterte's Cabinet, after he issued a directive for her to "desist from attending" all meetings starting Monday.

In her resignation letter, received by the Office of the Executive Secretary at past 9 a.m. Monday, Robredo said Duterte's directive "has effectively made it impossible to do my job."

"Remaining in your Cabinet has become untenable," she wrote. "With due respect, I am tendering my resignation as HUDCC Chairperson effective immediately." 

LOOK: VP @lenirobredo's resignation letter as HUDCC chief. pic.twitter.com/dlRsEa2Wg3

— R-A. Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) December 5, 2016

Robredo told Duterte she accepted the appointment as HUDCC chief "given our shared commitment to the poor and marginalized."

"I have exerted all effort to put aside our differences, maintain a professional working relationship, and work effectively despite the constraints because the Filipino people deserve no less," she wrote.

The Vice President announced her resignation as housing czar on Sunday night, where she cited "major differences" between her and Duterte "in principles and views" in issues, such as the burial of the late Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, extrajudicial killings, and sexual attacks against women.

She also mentioned a plot to steal the vice presidency from her.

In interviews, Palace officials also cited "irreconcilable differences" between Duterte and Robredo.

They also dismissed the supposed plot to steal vice presidency as "speculation coming from the camp of the Vice President." 

'Obstacles'

In her announcement, the Vice President revealed "obstacles that have been thrown" at HUDCC, including a slash "by more than P19 billion" in the 2017 budget of all six key shelter agencies under it.

She also noted inaction on appointment recommendations for all the said agencies, as well as on the executive order "designed to make HUDCC effective."

Robredo said the "last straw" was the President's directive for her to stop attending Cabinet meetings starting Monday, in a text message from Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. Evasco was informed of the Duterte's order by his special assistant, Christopher "Bong" Go.

The Vice President's resignation as housing czar comes less than five months since she was offered the post through a phone call last July 7.

As HUDCC chief, she was met with an estimated backlog of 5.6 million housing needs, including those for survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013 and for informal settlers.

The President had initially said he was not keen on appointing Robredo in his Cabinet given his friendship with the family of her closest rival, former Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

Robredo, who beat Marcos by just over 200,000 votes, is facing an electoral protest he filed before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, a body composed of magistrates of the Supreme Court. — RSJ, GMA News