Duterte prefers junta over Leni, says Naga a hotbed of shabu

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday questioned anew the competence of Vice President Leni Robredo, saying she does not possess the capability to succeed him in office.

Duterte brought up Robredo's leadership ability while he was discussing the scenario of the military taking power from him if they deem him no longer capable to run the nation.

"The problem is I cannot suggest to them that you follow the succession which is really the Constitution but if they do it I said go ahead. I am hesitant to suggest a constitutional succession," the President said in a speech before business leaders in Malacañang.

"I have nothing against Robredo. She's a lawyer. You have heard her talk. But I do not think she can improve on anything here. Of course she will deny it. You can ask the hotbed of shabu in the past years. I will not mention the name. It was Naga City," he said.

Robredo hails from Naga City where her husband, the late former Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, served as mayor for nearly two decades.

“I would suggest to the military... if you want yourselves to be the junta, I said line up here, I'll put you in your proper place,”  Duterte said.

It is not the first time Duterte commented against Robredo's leadership ability.

On July 10, Duterte called Robredo incompetent and said that she would never be prepared to replace him as president. This came after Robredo said she was willing to take on the role of leading the opposition to Duterte's rule.

Duterte's spokesperson, Harry Roque, said later on the Vice President may have been hurt by Duterte's "honest and objective" assessment of her capability to run the country.

Roque said Duterte's comment should not be taken as an insult on Robredo.

Robredo, who entered politics only in 2013, is the chairperson of the former ruling Liberal Party.  —NB/BAP, GMA News