VICE President Leni Robredo yesterday told President Duterte to stop political attacks against his perceived rivals in the 2022 national elections and focus instead on the government’s response to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the country amid the presence of the highly-transmissible Delta variant.
Robredo called for a “timeout” to “politicking” after the President said last Monday he stripped a “disorganized” city mayor from Metro Manila of the authority to distribute cash aid for those affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), giving the responsibility to the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
“At this time, insinuations and political bickering will do no good. Hospitals are full, many are getting sick and many are suffering because they can’t work. Bickering can’t cure COVID patients,” she said in Filipino.
The President did not name the official or the city but said the public should not be fooled by the individual whose training he likened to that of a “call boy.”
Social media comments said Duterte was referring to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno who is said to be eyeing the presidency or vice presidency, and who has partnered with Robredo in some COVID-19 response projects in the city.
Duterte is being asked by his supporters to run for vice president next year while his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Carpio is being pushed by her supporters to run for president.
The Vice President, the leader of the opposition who has been holding exploratory talks with potential national candidates, told Duterte that the government’s pandemic response will not be improved by engaging in political mudslinging.
Robredo lamented the President is too preoccupied with politics in the face of the spread of the Delta variant and other pressing concerns in the middle of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) being implemented in different parts of the country.
The Vice President said the crisis requires an “all-hands-on-deck approach,” setting aside political leanings to address the needs of the people.
“Kung itutuon natin ang lakas natin sa pagtutulungan kaysa sa bangayan, mas marami tayong magagawa (If we focus our strength in helping each other instead of fighting, we’ll do more),” she said. “All-in dapat tayo sa pagtugon sa krisis na ito. All eyes on the surge. Saka na kayo mag-ungkatan ng past (We should be all-in in responding to this crisis. All eyes on the surge. Let’s save this dredging up the past for later),” she said.
The Office of the Vice President has been conducting COVID response operations in collaboration with private sector partners and ordinary Filipinos, including providing assistance to frontliners and health institutions, local government units and communities, students, and those in need of jobs and livelihood.
Among OVP’s initiatives are Bayanihan E-Konsulta, a teleconsultation platform which assists in outpatient cases and even in emergency situations, and Vaccine Express, where the office provides logistics support for LGUs’ vaccination efforts.
‘DISGRACEFUL’
At the House of Representatives, the militant Makabayan bloc said it is “disgraceful” for Duterte to resort to personal attacks against Moreno for being perceived by as a “threat to his plan of having a Duterte dynasty by 2022.”
The lawmakers said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año should remind the President that on June 30, the department awarded the city of Manila a certificate of recognition for “efficient and timely” distribution of financial aid.
“If there is a mayor who is disorganized in its aid distribution and pandemic response, that is no one else but `Mayor Duterte’ himself. Isn’t it because of his leadership that the government failed to release more than P10 billion cash aid under Bayanihan 1 and 2? Isn’t it because of his ineptitude that our country has the world’s longest militarized lockdown?
Isn’t because of their inefficiency that the vaccination rollout remains sluggish?” the left-leaning lawmakers said in a statement.
The Makabayan Bloc is composed of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, Eufemia Cullamat, and Ferdinand Gaite; Arlene Brosas of Gabriela Women’s party; France Castro, ACT party-list; and Sarah Jane Elago of Kabataan party-list.
Moreno, on live video stream on Facebook late Tuesday, thanked the President Duterte for the assistance to city residents.
“Maraming salamat kay Pangulong Duterte… Tuloy po ang delivery ng ayuda bukas sa bawat pamilyang Manileño (Many thanks to the President. The cash aid will be distributed tomorrow [Wednesday]),” he said.
He reminded constituents to exercise discipline and to strictly adhere to health and safety protocols in getting their cash aid.
Duterte has said there have been incidents in the unnamed city where crowds gathered and disregarded protocols at vaccination sites, and the mayor blamed others but himself for these instances. He also talked about the mayor shown in photos in “bikini” as he questioned the latter’s moral ascendancy to lead the country.
Moreno, Francisco Domagoso in real life, is a former undergarments model and show business personality before he was elected to public office first as city councilor and then vice mayor, and now mayor.
ROBREDO-PACQUIAO MEET
The camp of Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao confirmed Robredo’s statement last Tuesday that she met with the boxer twice for exploratory talks.
Pacquiao’s spokesman former Rep. Monico Fuentebella said the meeting two took place before Pacquiao left for the US last July 3.
“I can confirm that these two… have spoken two times. Yes, I was present but the substance of the meeting, I would rather give the honor to both of them,” Fuentebella said in an interview with GMA-7.
Pacquiao has yet to announce his intent to run for president in next year’s elections, although Fuentebella said that the boxer-turned-politician is all “set” to seek the presidency.
He added that it is for this reason that Pacquiao was booted out as president of the ruling PDP-Laban party by the pro-Duterte faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
Cusi’s camp said it will include Pacquiao in its list of senatorial candidates.
Fuentebella said it is an “insult” to Pacquiao.
“Ininsulto pa nila lately… Hello? Gawin nilang senador sa PDP. Alam nilang tatakbo si Senator Pacquiao ng presidente kaya nga tinanggal nila sa pagka-presidente ng PDP Laban (They insulted him lately. And I learned that they will make him a senatorial candidate.
Hello ??? They will make him senator of PDP? They knew that Senator Pacquiao will run for president that’s why they booted him out as PDP-Laban president),” he said.
The PDP-Laban Cusi-faction has also endorsed the tandem of Sen. Christopher Go and President Duterte, as its candidates for president and vice president, respectively.
Ronwald Munsayac, PDP-Laban executive director under the Pacquiao faction, said the Go-Duterte tandem is just a “smoke screen.”
“Kaya sinasabi naming smoke screen ay kung matuloy man talaga kunyari si Sen. Bong Go, then baka lang din po mag back out to give way to Mayor Sara Duterte should she decide to run, kasi imposible naman po na magbanggaan silang dalawa (We are saying that it is just a smoke screen because if ever Sen. Bong Go decides to run for president, then he might eventually back out to give way to Mayor Sara Duterte should she decide to run because it is impossible that Go and Mayor Sara Duterte will run against each other),” he said.
Robredo’s meeting with possible presidential bets like Pacquiao, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and Sen. Richard Gordon are all part of efforts for the opposition leader to have a common candidate against the administration bet. — With Ashzel Hachero and Raymond Africa
