Leni: Forget politics, work together for nation

Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo echoed calls to public officials to “forget about politics and work together” for the sake of the nation.

That was the same thing that President Duterte had earlier said in

one of his public activities.

Robredo, a vocal critic of the antidrug war and alleged extrajudicial killings of crime suspects, agreed with Duterte that work should come first before politics, but she emphasized the people in government should take the message to heart.

“I hope all of us – from the President to the lowest ranking local government official – would take to heart the true meaning of work before politics,” she said.

Robredo was asked to comment on Duterte’s statement in a media interview on the sidelines of the launch of the Albay Provincial Library Gender and Development Section in Legazpi City, Albay.

While speaking to reporters, the Vice President called out the early campaigning of some national government officials for next year’s elections.

“If we will all talk about election, it would not be good to everyone. If the public servants now go around to campaign, it is not yet time,” she said.

“This is not the right time for that. We have time for going around to campaign. Let us do our work first,” said Robredo.

The country’s top two officials saw each other three times last week as they attended the graduation rites at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio, anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army in Taguig City, and the Philippine National Police Academy’s graduation in Silang, Cavite.

Robredo, chair of the once ruling Liberal Party, had earlier said it would be better if the two of them get along and have a good relationship.