MANILA - While she reiterated Tuesday that she's still looking into multiple factors before deciding on a possible presidential bid next year, Vice President Leni Robredo gave assurances that if she runs for and wins the country's top post, and political arch-rival President Rodrigo Duterte bags the vice presidency, she won't treat him the way he has treated her.
"Parang poetic justice 'pag nangyari," Robredo told ANC's After the Fact, in response to a hypothetical question citing such situation in light of Duterte's recent pronouncement regarding his possible vice presidential bid.
(That would be like poetic justice if that happens.)
"Pero, para sa akin, very, very seriously, ako, I will not treat him the way he treated me, kasi, I don't think it is to the best interest of the people na 'yung Presidente at saka Vice President nag-aaway," she added.
(But seriously, for me, I will not treat him the way he treated me because I don't think it is in the best interest of the people that the President and the Vice President are fighting.)
"Having said that, tatanungin ko siya, kasi narinig ko sa speech niya na kung manalo siya, matutulog na lang siya at maghihintay siya na mamatay ang Presidente o whatever."
(Having said that, I will have to ask him, because I heard him say in a speech before that if he wins, he will just sleep and wait for the new President to die.)
Duterte, 76, earlier said he's gunning for the vice presidency for "immunity" due to possible cases that may be filed against him when he steps down.
Robredo said that if Duterte wins, she hopes he won't experience what she went through as the country's second-highest official.
"Para sa akin, andaming missed opportunities na kung binigyan lang ng pagkakataon na makatrabaho kami na bwelo, mas marami pa sana kaming nagawa," she said.
(For me, there were many missed opportunities, that if we had many chances to work together, we might have had accomplished a lot.)
Duterte and Robredo have sparred over a number of issues since they assumed power in 2016, including the administration's deadly war on drugs and its policy on the West Philippine Sea.
Robredo was given two posts in the Cabinet: housing secretary and co-chair of the anti-drug body. But she was removed later by Duterte due to their conflict.
As she still looks into other considerations, including her "viability", for a possible candidacy for president in 2022, Robredo pointed out one thing: The Philippines cannot last another 6 years of a Duterte-like administration.
"Mahirap 'yung padalos-dalos. Sabihin mo, 'Go, magkakandidato ako.' Tapos nagka-watak-watak lahat ... I've said it already before. We can't last another 6 years of this kind of governance," she said.
(It's hard to rush things. You can easily say, 'I will be a candidate'. But everything will fall apart later... I've said it already before. We can't last another 6 years of this kind of governance.)
"Lalo na nasa gitna tayo ng pandemic (Especially we're in the middle of a pandemic). We've lost so much already," she added.
Asked what she thinks of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio's possible candidacy, which experts say will solidly place the presidential family in further power if she wins, Robredo said: "I wish that whatever decision she ultimately makes, she will always bear in mind our country's welfare. Kaniya-kaniyang 'yung decison ... na hindi naman namin pwede pakialaman."
"Ayoko na pakialaman 'yung decision-making ng iba," the vice president added.
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