Stopping Leni from attending Cabinet meetings means Duterte no longer trusts VP – Andanar

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar on Monday indicated that President Rodrigo Duterte lost his confidence and trust on Vice President Leni Robredo when he asked her through his aides to stop attending Cabinet meetings.

“Reading between the lines, it is saying that the President no longer has the confidence and the trust to be in one room with the VP and that is the official meeting of the President and the Cabinet officials, the Cabinet meeting,” Anadar said in a television interview after he was asked to clarify if Duterte fired Robredo. 

Early Sunday evening, Robredo announced that she would step down from as the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairperson, calling Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr.’s message telling her to stop attending Cabinet meetings as “the last straw.”

Andanar also addressed Robredo’s emphasis on an alleged plot to steal her post from her.

“Number one, that is speculation from the camp of the VP. That is for them to sort on that kind of speculation. It’s not the job of cab officials to fire public officials. Our job is to institute reforms in this government and the best person to ask that question is the VP herself,” he said.

Meanwhile, Duterte has already accepted Robredo's resignation.

‘VP had intelligent, insightful ideas’

“She was always smiling,” Andanar told reporters in Malacañang when asked about his personal experiences with the Vice President.

The Communications Secretary also remembered how Robredo asserted for the HUDCC.

"She had very intelligent and insightful ideas in so many things and she also always fought for her department’s interests. Because you know in Cabinet meetings, you have your interests for your own department," he said.

"And she was never remiss of those opportunities when she had to put her foot down for HUDCC. Of course we’re all thankful for her service and we hope we could still work with her in the future," he added.

In a statement on Sunday announcing her resignation, Robredo shared some of the obstacles as the HUDCC chair such as slashing of budget for all key shelter agencies in 2017 by P19 billion.

"It’s sad that it had to end this way," Andanar said, admitting that he was surprised of Robredo's resignation because he didn't have an idea of what's happening behind the scenes. — RSJ, GMA News