DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/ 30 May) — Congress in a joint session at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City proclaimed on Monday afternoon lawyers Rodrigo Duterte and Ma. Leonora “Leni” Robredo as President-elect and Vice-President elect, respectively but Duterte, as expected, was a no-show.
Instead, Duterte was “doing his chores as mayor, signing documents in his private office,” Duterte’s executive assistant, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go told MindaNews in a text message.
Duterte, 71, who is completing his 7th term as Davao City mayor, is the first President from Mindanao while Robredo, 52, who is completing her first term as Camarines Sur Representative to Congress, 52, is the first Vice President from Bicol.
Duterte, standard beares of the Partido ng Demokratikong Piipino (PDP-Laban) won with a 6.6 million lead over administration bet Mar Roxas while Robredo, Roxas’ running mate, won with a lead of over 200,000 against Senator Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
Robredo had earlier said she wants to help oversee the government’s anti-poverty programs if she becomes Vice President.
Section 3, Article VII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that the Vice President “may be appointed as a Member of the Cabinet.”
In a press conference late Saturday night, Duterte said he has not considered any Cabinet position for Robredo as he wants to talk to her first and establish a “good rapport in the meantime.”
“If that’s just opening of opportunity, it would come earlier. It doesn’t meant to say the door is open and there’s already the job waiting. An opportunity or chance maybe we can talk of just having a good rapport in the meantime.
Kasi hindi nga kami magkakilala eh” (Because we still don’t know each other), he said. (MindaNews)
