It has been such a relief and encouragement for many of us, in this era of post-truth and plain bastos politics, to have the example of Vice-President Leni Robredo‘s dignity, equanimity, intelligence and commitment to higher values.
She has consistently shown this in the face of shabby treatment from the President from the very start of his administration.
She was told that she would have no place at the official inauguration ceremonies as it would be a small affair — but where the Marcos children were honored guests.
When the President began naming his Cabinet members, he said it never entered his mind to offer Vice President Robredo a Cabinet position. He took weeks to even think of meeting with her, the second highest official in the land.
He made jokes about her looks, her knees!, true to his vulgar habits, about which VP Leni merely remarked that she took no notice as she was aware that was his way.
When finally he offered her the housing job, it was apparently through a mere text message.
When he met with the Filipino community in China after a state visit at which the Marcos children accompanied him, he remarked to them that Bongbong Marcos might be the next vice-president.
And then a new text message tells Vice President Robredo to desist from attending Cabinet meetings. No formal meeting or face-to-face discussion, merely the briefest text message from an underling.
It has been a consistent presidential strategy of ignoring and trivializing this exceptional woman, and casting doubt on her very legitimacy as the country’s Vice-President.
Perhaps the facts that his fellow vulgarian Donald Trump has praised his bloody drug war, and that he is surrounded by fawning minions have given the President the right to feel above any standards of civility or decency. In fact, he often appears to revel in this unsavory persona.
Vice President Robredo has been vocal about her concern on the spate of drug-related killings. The recent breakdown of figures by economist and political commentator Solita Monsod has shown that they are much higher over the few months of this administration than during all past administrations combined.
International agencies have expressed concern as well. It would have been unthinkable for someone who has worked for the rule of law and for the human rights and welfare of the poor (and those being killed are poor) to have merely been silent.
On still other issues like the obscenity of the Marcos burial or remarks on women, there is a moral imperative for someone with her position and mandate to express her views. As she has been mostly shunted to the margins, it does not appear that the President has ever cared to engage in discussions with her on key issues and policies.
In stark contrast to her principled behavior, we can only wonder at those Cabinet members and other appointees from “nationalist“ networks, not to be more specific, whose own past principles have apparently undergone very serious erosion.
We are fortunate to have before us the example of Leni Robredo. Just think of the moral abyss this country would fall into if Duterte’s great friend shoved her out of the vice-presidency.
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Author’s email: h.cecilia7@gmail.com
