Duterte on TV different from Duterte in person, Leni Robredo says

President Rodrigo Duterte on TV is quite different from the one she met in person, Vice President Leni Robredo said on Monday.

"Malayo siya doon sa dati kong nakikita sa TV at sa preconceived idea ko of him. 'Yung sound and fury, nagmumura, madaling magalit, pinagagalitan kung sinong nakaka-get his ire. Ibang iba," Robredo said in a television interview.

"He was very respectful, malumanay magsalita.... Nahihiya pa nga ako kasi mina-'ma'am' niya ako," she added.

Robredo made the remarks after her courtesy call on Duterte on Monday afternoon. The 3 p.m. closed-door meeting at Malacañang’s study room lasted for less than an hour.

The Vice President before their respective inaugurations on June 30 had been trying to get an appointment to meet Duterte after they were proclaimed the winners of the last elections.

It was only on Friday that they first met after the elections. Both of them attended the turnover of command rites of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in Camp Aguinaldo.

Robredo laughed at the suggestions circulating on social media that pegged her and Duterte as a "love team." She said this must be because many were "relieved" that they finally met at the military event.

She said her daughters shared the same sentiment.

"Palagay ko kasi, because over the course of more than a month, parang all that was ever written about us was that we weren't seeing eye-to-eye," Robredo said.

"I think many Filipinos were relieved," she added.

In a statement, Robredo described her meeting with Duterte as "cordial" and "casual."

Expression of support

"Natutuwa tayo na nagkaroon tayo ng pagkakataong makausap ang ating Pangulo," her statement read. "Sinabi natin sa Pangulo na buong buo ang suporta natin sa kaniya dahil ang kaniyang tagumpay ay tagumpay ng ating bansa."

Robredo said the president had told her he intended to invite her to the Palace, but she beat him to it when she set an appointment.

She added that he invited her to be in Malacañang more often.

"Sabi niya nga, gawin kong mas regular 'yung pagbisita para alam ko 'yung mga nangyayari.... Kaya nagpasalamat ako," Robredo said.

Robredo said she came to "personally convey my message of support... [that] I owe it to the Filipino people to back him up."

She added that she offered to leave her phone number to Duterte's staff should he wish to reach out to her for any task or clarification.

She said, however, that the President did not make any formal offer of a Cabinet position.

Duterte in May said he was "non-committal" about appointing Robredo to a Cabinet post. He said he did not want to hurt the feelings of Robredo's closest rival, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who he said was a personal friend.

"Wala pa namang formal offer, pero I told him nga na wala naman ako doon to ask for work. Nandoon ako para i-assure siya ng aking suporta. With or without a Cabinet post, makakaasa siya do'n," Robredo said.

"Sabi niya, 'Patuloy tayo mag-usap. Magtulungan tayo. Nagpapasalamat siya sa suporta.'"

'A gentleman'

Robredo said that the meeting was laidback, given that the two of them "came from the provinces... [and] were reluctant candidates."

"You know, half of the time we were just exchanging notes," Robredo said. "It was a very good meeting... Mas friendly. We talked about the children, life in Manila now... How it is with security people around us already."

She said Duterte was a gentleman during the visit. He even walked her to her car.

"I was telling him, 'Mr. President, 'wag mo na po ako ihatid.' Sabi niya, 'That will be very ungentlemanly of me if I don't bring you down kasi babae ka," Robredo said. "We had to wait for it (the car) to enter the gates again and he waited the entire time."

She added: "Kasi 'yung thank you ko yata nag-bow ako. Sabi niya 'wag. I said, 'But you're my boss, Sir.' He said, 'Don't take it very seriously.' ... Napaka-humble." —NB, GMA News