'With a heavy heart,' Duterte accepts Leni’s resignation —Palace

President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted the resignation of Vice President Leni Robredo as the chairperson of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

"It is with a heavy heart that I accept the resignation of Vice President Leni Robredo," he was quoted by Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar.

The statement came after Malacañang received Robredo's resignation letter on Monday. Robredo tendered her resignation after she was barred from attending Cabinet meetings through a text message from Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr.

The Palace earlier cited some irreconcilable differences between Duterte and Robredo as the root why she had been barred from attending Cabinet meetings. 

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella also shared Evasco's explanation on desist order against Robredo.

"Cabinet Members are personally appointed by the President; and it is also his prerogative to withdraw the same for reasons known only to him. Cabinet Members accept the appointment with the implicit agreement that they agree with his program, platform and policies," Abella said.

While there may be issues that the President and the Cabinet members don't agree with, Abella said that they should be handled "consensually" as it is important for the Cabinet to be united.

"It is important that while one is a member of the Cabinet to express one's views discreetly and not be adversarial publicly. If in any case a Member finds cause it is his/her prerogative to resign from the Cabinet. According to the President, 'It is our duty to defend the dignity and integrity of the Filipino people. If Cabinet Members cannot agree with the President's policy they are free to resign'," he said.

The statement was also directed to Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson Patricia Licuanan who was also ordered not to attend Cabinet meetings, although Licuanan decided to keep her post.

Licuanan is an appointee of former President Benigno Aquino III. As CHED chairperson, she has a fixed term until 2018. — NB/KBK/RSJ, GMA News