In a televised speech meant to discuss the government response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent spate of typhoons, Duterte lashed out at Robredo for supposedly criticizing him for his absence during the onslaught of Typhoon Vamco which is known here as Typhoon Ulysses.
Duterte accused the vice president of lying to the Filipino people for making it appear that he was missing in action while Filipinos bore the brunt of strong winds and rains brought by the typhoon.
“Next time, do not make a mistake or I’ll be forced to insult you because you are playing too much. You’re trying to look good. It’s not the time for you,” Duterte said.
“During the campaign, when I’m on my way out, go ahead and run. I’ve a lot of things to say to you. When you start your campaign for the presidency, I’ll go after you. This is your nightmare,” he added.
While the typhoon was barreling through the northern and main island of Luzon, #NasaanAngPangulo (Where is the President), trended on social media as netizens questioned the absence of Duterte who was attending the 37th ASEAN Summit via teleconferencing.
Vamco/Ulysses left 73 people dead while hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damage to infrastructure and agriculture have also been recorded.
According to Robredo, she never asked, “Where is the President?”
“You can review all my tweets,” she said.
“In times of huge disasters,” she added, “everyone who offers help should be welcome. This is not a contest. We are not in a race. All of us should help our fellow citizens.”
Duterte’s six-year term ends in 2022. He is constitutionally barred to seek re-election. In the Philippines, moreover, the president and vice president are elected separately.
