‘Nakakalito dahil magkaiba ang sinasabi’
VP Leni: Duterte, Panelo should stop contradicting each other

Vice President Leni Robredo chided Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo that he should be better informed of what exactly the President has stated before presenting his own “interpretation,” so they can stop contradicting each other in public.

VP Leni said the administration should put a stop to this “practice,” because contradictions between the President’s statements and Panelo’s “clarifications” only make things even more confusing for the people. This as Panelo called her out for “misplaced and flamboyant remarks,” in light of her strongly worded statement on the President’s inclination to “ignore” the arbitral ruling for a joint oil and gas exploration deal with China.

“Litong lito talaga ako, kasi ang sinasabi ni Pangulo, iba sa sinasabi niya. Nagsabi si Pangulo na i-set aside iyong arbitral ruling; ang sabi niya, hindi iyon iyong gustong sabihin,” she said on the weekly radio show, BISErbisyong LENI, on RMN-DZXL 558.

“[T]alagang litong lito tayo, kaya tayo bumoboses. Kasi hindi naman puwedeng matapos sa kalituhan dahil sa mga pahayag na hindi nakakabuti sa ating lahat,” she also said.

In his attempt to deflect widespread outrage at the President’s pronouncement, Panelo had said that VP Leni was merely “finding fault in every word the President says.”

He also appealed to the Vice President to “be more circumspect in issuing statements on the matter and rely more on her instinct as a lawyer and mother protective of those she is constitutionally tasked to shepherd.”

In response, VP Leni said it is “precisely” her instincts as lawyer and mother that led her to raise her concerns over the President’s remarks, especially because it has grave effects on our rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea.

“[T]ayo, hindi lang basta kumontra, pero sinisiguro natin na bilang lingkod-bayan, mayroon tayong obligasyon na kapag may masamang pahayag o may masamang nangyayari, kailangan tayong magboses. Kahit pa sila magalit sa atin,” she said.

“Itong statement na ito [ng Pangulo], ang implications saka ang repercussions nito napakalaki, hindi lang sa atin, pero sa future generations. Isipin mo, pinaglaban na natin tapos ginive up natin iyong binigay na sa atin—iyong may declaration na atin, igi-give up natin just for a deal with China?” she added.