Robredo: Arroyo’s House takeover embarrassing

Lian Buan

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Robredo: Arroyo’s House takeover embarrassing
‘Nakakahiya na pinapakita natin sa lahat na iyong pag-wrestle ng power, parang in full public view,’ says Vice President Leni Robredo

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo said that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s takeover of the House Speakership from Pantaleon Alvarez during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) was embarrassing.

“Nakakahiya na pinapakita natin sa lahat na iyong pag-wrestle ng power, parang in full public view (It’s embarassing that we are showing this wrestling of power, in full public view),” said Robredo on the sidelines of the launch of journalist Marites Vitug’s book Rock Solid on Tuesday, July 24.

Robredo said that at first, she felt that the Alvarez ouster should be left to the lawmakers as something of an internal party matter.

However, as the tension became more palpable inside the Batasang Pambansa, moments before President Rodrigo Duterte arrived to deliver the SONA, Robredo said the impropriety of the incident became more glaring.

Parang iyong moment na iyon para kay Pangulo, pinapanood ng buong bansa, excited lahat para pakinggan what the President had to say, tapos iyong attention parang na-grab noong incident. Para sa akin, wrong timing siya,” said the Vice President.

(That moment was for the President, watched by the entire country, and everyone was excited to listen to what the President had to say, and then the attention was grabbed by the incident. For me, it’s wrong timing.) 

Robredo said it was wrong message to send to the Filipino people, which was unfortunate considering the event.

“Nagbibigay siya ng impression na ito na ba iyong state ng ating bansa – na iyong mas mahalaga pa iyong power struggle kaysa doon sa attempt na, despite our differences, magkaisa man lang sana tayo para pagtulungan natin iyong mga problemang hinaharap natin,” Robredo said.

(It gives the impression that this is the state of our nation – that the power struggle is more important than the attempt to unify despite our differences, to help each other overcome our problems.)

Robredo skirted around there question of whether she recognizes the legitimacy of Arroyo’s speakership.

“Parang it’s too early to tell, ‘di ba. Parang ngayon pa lang naman na araw iyong first day na manunungkulan,” said Robredo.

(It’s to early to tell. This is the first day of her term.)

However, she said that Filipinos should be more vigilant of the political movements.

“Iyan naman iyong obligasyon ng bawat isa—na para kami na nasa pamahalaan, hindi nag-aabuso sa aming panunungkulan at ginagawa iyong aming trabaho, dapat parating binabantayan,” Robredo said.

(That’s the obligation of one another – so that everyone of us in government does not abuse our positions, and that we do our jobs, and we should be watched.) – Rappler.com

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Lian Buan

Lian Buan is a senior investigative reporter, and minder of Rappler's justice, human rights and crime cluster.