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Pangilinan to Duterte admin: 'COVID ang problema, hindi si VP Leni'

Senator Francis Pangilinan on Tuesday defended Vice President Leni Robredo from the fresh tirades against her by President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a statement, Pangilinan said the government should focus on its COVID-19 response rather than picking on Robredo, his party-mate in the Liberal Party.

"Covid ang problema, hindi si VP Leni. Simula't simula pa, siya nga ang walang pagod sa kakatulong at kakahanap ng solusyon sa pesteng Covid. Tularan na lang kaya nila si VP, tutukan nang husto ang pagsugpo sa Covid para hindi tayo kulelat sa buong Asya," he said.

"Eye on the ball, 'ika nga. Ang letrang V na dapat tutukan ay ang virus at hindi ang VP," he added.

In his nationally-televised address on Monday night, Duterte blasted Robredo after she urged him to be among the first to get inoculated against COVID-19 to allay fears over the vaccines.

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Duterte accused Robredo of "baiting" him to get a shot of Sinovac's vaccine even as it was not suitable for senior citizens like him.

“You know in the protocol, the preferential right is given to 18 above tapos 59. Ako, mareng Leni, 70 na eh. Masyado kang apurado sa protocol eh. We are not even considered as those needing or occupy a priority in the application of COVID. Mahirap kasi yang ano mo, you are baiting me,” Duterte said.

“Nagdududa ka kasi na nagpabakuna na ako kasama ng mga sundalo kaya panay ang tikoy tikoy, ginaganoon mo ako. Sige magsalita ka. You seem to have an angel face but a devilish mind,” he added. —Erwin Colcol/KBK, GMA News