Palace to Trillanes: No need to appoint Robredo as IATF head

Malacañang on Friday shot down the suggestion of former senator Antonio Trillanes IV to appoint Vice President Leni Robredo as head of the government’s COVID-19 task force.

“She is helping in her own ways and if her intentions are genuine, there is no need for her to be appointed or designated in the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), as suggested by the former senator,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Trillanes earlier dared the Palace to let Robredo run the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases after Roque asked the Vice President to offer solutions instead of criticizing the government’s program for locally stranded individuals (LSIs).

The former lawmaker also asked if Roque chose not to recognize Robredo’s efforts to address the needs of Filipinos affected by the pandemic.

Roque replied that the Palace recognizes the contributions of the Vice President to COVID-19 response.

Robredo’s office had delivered food and care packages to frontliners as well as personal protective equipment for health workers. Her office had also donated test kits to hospitals certified by the government as laboratories for COVID-19 testing.

In his statement, Roque stood by his remarks that Robredo could have offered solutions to the problems regarding the transportation of LSIs.

“If she could offer solutions on how to address those who earlier tested negative for COVID-19 in Metro Manila but tested positive once they reached their respective provinces, I would be more than willing to submit her proposed solutions to the IATF,” he said.

He also slammed Trillanes for “sowing intrigue and division” during the pandemic.

“Let us not make an issue when there is none,” Roque said.

“We call on Mr. Trillanes not to twist my statement for the sake of political relevance and just do his share to alleviate the plight of our people amid this pandemic. It is only through our solidarity and cooperation can we heal and recover as one.”—AOL, GMA News