Robredo Instructed to Cease Attending Cabinet Meetings

The President has given instruction to Vice President Leni Robredo on 4 December 2016 to desist from attending all Cabinet meetings starting 5 December.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio “Jun” Evasco Jr. confirmed that the President ordered Vice President Leni Robredo to desist from attending all Cabinet meetings starting Monday. “Utos ‘yan ni Pangulong Duterte, and the reason is there are irreconcilable differences between VP Robredo and the administration,” Evasco said in a phone interview on DZMM radio station.

Evasco sent Leni Robredo a text message of the President’s instructions, saying he was trying to call the Vice President but there was no answer. “I called her up first but there was no response then I text her with a message for her to desist attending cabinet meetings starting tomorrow, Dec. 5, 2 o’clock in the afternoon,” he said.

Vice President Leni Robredo said, “We received a text message last Saturday from Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco, Jr., relaying the President’s instruction through Bong Go…”

Text message (from @AicaDioquino) of Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco relaying the instruction of the President that says:

“Gd afternoon Madam Vice President. Mayor Rody Duterte thru Bong Go asked me to relay to you his instruction for you to desist from attending all Cabinet mtngs starting This Monday Dec 5, 2pm. Ty”

Evasco, however, said that the President was not firing Robredo as Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDDC) chairperson to which she was appointed last July 2016. “There was no instruction for her to be terminated from her position. Whatever decision she would take in the future, it will be her prerogative,” Evasco said in the same interview.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview wth DZBB radio station, “Maraming polisiya at pananaw na magkasalungat kaya humantong sa order na hindi na padaluhin si vice president sa Cabinet meeting.” “Ito ay dahil sa irreconcilable differences between President Duterte and Vice President Robredo,” he added.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Pantaleon Alvarez, said “considering the situation, I think she [Robredo] is fired.”

In another statement, Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat noted that Duterte’s instruction to Robredo not to attend Cabinet meetings “is tantamount to asking her to resign or firing her.” ●