Why Robredo was told not to attend Cabinet meetings
MANILA -- Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. confirmed Sunday that President Rodrigo Duterte ordered Vice President Leni Robredo to desist from attending Cabinet meetings due to “irreconcilable differences.”
“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.
Robredo on Sunday announced that she will tender her resignation as Housing secretary on Monday, noting "major differences in principles and values."
She said she received a text message on Saturday from Evasco, relaying the President's instruction through his executive assistant Bong Go for her “to desist from attending all Cabinet meetings" starting December 5.
Evasco confirmed that he sent Robredo a text message of Duterte’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.
Evasco, however, clarified that there was no instruction to terminate Robredo from her post.
“Wala naman instruction from her to be terminated sa position niya. Whatever position she will take in the future will be her prerogative,” he said.
He added that if officials cannot “jibe” with Duterte, then they better resign.
“If they cannot just jibe with what the President is doing, they cannot support what the President is doing, then they have to resign,” he said.
