Robredo: 1st encounter with Duterte ‘very cordial’; he agreed to courtesy visit soon

By ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO, GMA News

Published July 1, 2016 4:10pm

It seemed like President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo had a pleasant first encounter since the campaign period and their formal assumption to their respective posts.

The country's top elected officials met at the change of command ceremonies of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday in Camp Aguinaldo, just a day after they were sworn in via separate inauguration rites.

During his speech at the event, Duterte acknowledged the vice president, saying: "This is the first time that I meet you personally, ma'am."

"I would have preferred to be seaeted beside you, but nandiyan si Defense (Sec. Delfin Lorenzana), e," he added, drawing laughter and applause from the crowd.

When the ceremony ended, Duterte was about to take a sip of his coconut water drink, but first offered it to Robredo, who declined with a smile.

They were seen exchanging a few more words, and posing for photos, before Duterte left the stage to attend the AFP command conference.

[A] Pres. Rodrigo Duterte and Vice Pres. Leni Robredo attended the AFP change of command ceremony this afternoon pic.twitter.com/thdMeZwitG
— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) July 1, 2016

Asked about their encounter, a smiling Robredo replied: "Okay naman. Very cordial."

VP Leni Robredo on meeting Pres Rodrigo Duterte | via @saleema_refran pic.twitter.com/lNwqE8U2oL
— GMA News Breaking (@gmanewsbreaking) July 1, 2016

The new vice president said she took the chance to ask Duterte if she could meet with him soon, and got his nod.

"Sinabi ko sa kaniya kung puwede akong magpa-set ng courtesy visit as soon as possible. Sabi niya, 'Anytime.' So magpapa-set ako," she said.

It took about a month, and exchanges of public statements, before Friday's encounter took place.

Duterte and Robredo were proclaimed on May 30, but only the latter showed up at the Batasang Pambansa that day.

The President has also been non-committal about giving her a Cabinet post nor about setting a meeting, saying he did not want to hurt Robredo's closest rival, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

On Wednesday, Duterte's executive assistant, Christopher "Bong" Go said the two had been scheduled to meet last week, but it did not push through because Robredo had a scheduled trip to Japan.

He also dismissed reports that the Duterte camp is "hard to get," especially about meeting with Robredo.

For their part, the Robredo camp denied reports that she said the president was "playing hard to get," adding that the vice president's trip to Japan for the National Day Celebration at the Philippine Embassy there has long been scheduled. — RSJ, GMA News

Tags: lenirobredo, rodrigoduterte