PAMPANGA, Philippines – Defeated vice presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr on Wednesday, April 5, called Vice President Leni Robredo “unpatriotic” for criticizing the Duterte administration’s controversial war on drugs. 

The former senator was asked by media whether Robredo may be impeached for betrayal of public trust when she said in a video played on the sidelines of a United Nations session that the drug war had left Filipinos feeling “hopeless and helpless.” (READ: IN NUMBERS: The Philippines’ ‘war on drugs’)

“At the very least, she was unpatriotic and she was disloyal to the Philippines,” Marcos said in an interview with media on Wednesday in Lubao town, where he joined activities for the birthday of Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“But you know, it is a matter of opinion whether she should be impeached because of it,” the former senator added. 

The video was played during one of a hundred side events and exhibits mounted by non-governmental organizations alongside a session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria. (READ: Robredo video not played at UN meeting, DFA says)

Pressed if Robredo’s video provides a strong ground for her impeachment, Marcos said he was “concentrating” on his electoral protest against the Vice President.

“I don’t know. Impeachment has never been part of my [considerations] since I’m not in Congress so it’s not something that I will be involved in. I’m concentrating on the protest,” he said. 

Marcos filed an electoral protest in June 2016 before the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. He accused Robredo and the Liberal Party of cheating in the May 2016 polls, which he lost by a slim margin. (READ: Robredo election lawyer: Poll fraud proven? Marcos camp ‘hallucinating’)

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, a longtime ally of the President, is mulling filing an impeachment complaint against Robredo for alleged betrayal of public trust over the video. (READ: Alvarez calls Robredo ‘shameless’ for criticizing drug war)

Duterte loyalists staged a “Palit Bise (Change the Vice President)” protest on April 2 even after the President said he would not allow Robredo to be impeached. – Rappler.com