Leni vows to stand up to Duterte's 'boorish remarks'

Vice President Leni Robredo has indicated that she would continue to stand up to President Rodrigo Duterte if he would again speak boorishly of her.

Robredo made the remark when asked in a radio interview to explain why she called Duterte a misogynist after he asked in a nationally televised briefing what time she went home at night and where she would retire after her day.

“Kapag binastos ako, lalaban ako. Kapag binastos mo ako lalaban ako kasi kailangan kong maging halimbawa, eh. Kailangan ko maging halimbawa sa ibang mga kababaihan na nababastos din,” Robredo said.

“Kung sa pambabastos hahayaan ko iyon, ano iyong mensaheng binibigay ko? Na okay lang iyon? Na okay lang iyon dahil lalaki kayo? Na okay lang iyon dahil Pangulo kayo? Hindi dapat ganoon,” she added.

Robredo said Duterte had set a bad example in making uncouth remarks saying that such behavior should not be allowed to pass unchecked.

“Hindi magandang halimbawa kahit iyon iyong natural mo. Kahit iyon iyong natural mo, hindi iyon katanggap-tanggap kasi maraming tao iyong nag-a-appreciate sa iyo, nag-a-idolize sa iyo. Tinuturuan mo ng mga bagay na una, kabastusan,” Robredo said.

“Tinuturuan mo ng mga bagay na hindi maganda. Eh makikita natin ito, Deo, dahil iyon siya, iyong mga supporters na kumakampi sa kaniya ganiyan din. Iyong mga posts sa social media talagang lahat kabastusan,” she added.

Robredo has been a widow since her late husband—Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government—died in a plane crash in August 2012.

Robredo said that while criticism is a fair game for public officials, criticisms should be rooted on facts, not low blows.

“Hindi masama na mag-criticize. Tingin ko, bahagi iyan ng demokrasya. Hindi masama na punahin mo iyong public officials kasi kailangan siya maging accountable. Pero kung iyong pagpupuna mo dinadaan mo sa una, kabastusan; pangalawa, kasinungalingan, mali iyon,” Robredo said.

Robredo said Duterte should not take offense when the public looks for the physical presence of him amid calamities.

It was because of the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo (Where is the President) that trended on Twitter that the President expressed indignation on Robredo, falsely accusing the Vice President of spearheading such campaign.

“Definitely, hindi iyon sa akin nanggaling, pero dapat hindi tayo masyadong onion-skinned kapag ganoon. Hindi tayo masyadong napipikon kasi karapatan ng taong hanapin iyong mga namumuno sa kanila,” Robredo said.

“Ang constituents talagang maghahanap iyan sa iyo. Kahit barangay captain ka, hahanapin ka ng constituents mo kung mayroong sakuna na nangyari na wala ka. Kaya iyong #NasaanAngPangulo [na panawagan], karapatan ng taong gawin iyon. Pero dapat sana iyong response doon ipakita kung ano iyong ginagawa, hindi iyong maghahanap ka ng ibang ibe-blame,” Robredo said. -NB, GMA News