Leni Robredo is still vice president, but has resigned Sunday as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council which made her concurrently a member of the Cabinet.
In a statement, Robredo said the Duterte administration was preventing her from doing her job as housing czar and was keeping her out of the loop. She cited the P19-billion slash in the budget for key shelter agencies and, more proximately, a text message sent her by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. telling her to not bother attending Cabinet meetings beginning this week.
This was the last straw, Robredo said.
For its part, the Palace acknowledged that the President and the Vice President did have “irreconcilable differences” that would make it impossible for the two of them to work together constructively over the long term.
It is likely Ms. Robredo did not arrive at this decision to quit overnight. We imagine she may have weighed the consequences of staying put versus resigning. It was clear she tried to get along with the President in the beginning—remember that oft-repeated, giggly encounter on the grounds of Camp Aguinaldo? Perhaps the signs were slow in coming and perhaps she did want to do a good job, too, no matter the odds.
We believe, however, that being slighted or eased out should have been less of an impetus. Events other than that text message—which could be argued as just hurt feelings—dissuading her from attending meetings should have been the last straw.
For instance, Robredo could have resigned when President Duterte made that comment about ogling her legs and knees during the commemoration of the third year anniversary of Super Typhoon “Yolanda.” It showed he did not respect her at all. Duterte may believe he can get away with most things but that should not have been one of them. He has made many comments offensive to women; for Robredo to do nothing about these, on her own behalf and on behalf of all women who are reduced to body parts, smacks of cowardice.
Another compelling reason came up just a few days later—the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the petitions opposing the plan. Two officials of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines quit precisely because of this. Robredo was vocal about her opposition, too —but again, did nothing. This would have been a definitive last straw.
We would have res-pected—admired—Robredo’s decision to quit over these issues. It would have shown she was aware of her non-negotiables and was willing to take a stand.
Hurt feelings are simply a lame excuse to go.