Is Vice Pres. Sara Duterte To Open to Tandem with Former VP Leni Robredo?
SARA DUTERTE – The Vice President expressed her stand on political alliances after she was asked about the possibility of teaming up with former VP Leni Robredo.
The recent meeting of Vice Pres. Duterte and her predecessor, former Vice Pres. Leni Robredo, in Naga hooked a lot of attention. There were questions on the visit of the Vice President at the Robredo residence which was revealed by the spokesperson of the former VP.
The Office of the Vice President or the OVP was quick to release a statement regarding the said meeting. According to Duterte’s office, the Vice President was invited in line with the Peñafrancia Festival in Naga and the same person who invited her knows the former VP as well.
The Peñafrancia Festival is one of the most popular religious festivities in the Philippines. Aside from Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, Department of Interior and Local Government or DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and Senator Bong Revilla also visited former Vice Pres. Leni Robredo.
Amid the public speculations and opinions on the visit of the current government officials to former Vice Pres. Leni Robredo, the former VP explained that there is no political color during the Peñafrancia Festival. According to her, everyone who visits “Ina” is welcome in their home.
The former Vice President further explained that she is already used to people coming to their house during Peñafrancia Festival as it has been that way since her late husband, Jesse Robredo, became mayor in Naga. He has served Naga for several years before he was appointed to lead the DILG.
Following the visit of Duterte to Robredo in Naga and despite the clarification from both sides that it was nothing political, there are still assumptions and questions if there is a possibility that the two (2) politicians will be a tandem in the future election.
Recently, during a press conference, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte was asked if she is open to be on a political alliance with former Vice Pres. Leni Robredo in a future election. Based on a video report of ABS-CBN News, the Vice President did not specifically answer about the political alliance with Robredo but she spoke on her stand with regards to political alliance.
According to Vice Pres. Duterte, she is currently not ready to be in a political alliance. Based on the report, she stressed that she will first fix and defend the OVP.
“Right now hindi ako handa na sumama kahit kanino man because kailangan ko munang ayusin at ipagtanggol ang Office of the Vice President. So nandun tayo sa ‘protect the Office of the Vice President’,” Vice Pres. Duterte said.
The House of Representatives has recently decided to give the OVP a P733 million budget for 2025. The lower chamber of the Congress made a P1.2 billion cut from the proposed budget of VP Sara Duterte’s office for 2025 following her absence in the House hearings.