PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has turned on the charm offensive on Vice President Leni Robredo after the two leaders graced three consecutive events, including yesterday’s graduation rites of the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 2018 in Silang, Cavite.
“This is the third time that I have greeted you, my lady. First at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio. Then at Fort Bonifacio on Tuesday. And then today. I hope there will be more graduation rites so we can still see each other,” the President said.
“I love to see my vice president,” added Duterte.
Duterte earlier barred Robredo from attending Cabinet meetings, prompting the Vice President to resign from her post as housing czar in December 2016.
Robredo is also facing an electoral protest lodged by a key Duterte ally, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Duterte earlier ribbed Robredo that she was the topic of a Cabinet meeting that began 2 p.m. Monday and ended at 3 a.m. Tuesday, which caused him to arrive late at Fort Bonifacio.
“I am very sorry I was late because we ended the Cabinet meeting at 3 o’ clock in the morning. We started at 2 in the afternoon. We finished, ma’am, at three because we talked about you,” the President said while glancing at Robredo, who laughed at the joke.