President Duterte has accepted the resignation of Vice President Leni Robredo as Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council chairperson “with a heavy heart” after almost five months of working in his Cabinet.
Robredo was replaced at the HUDCC by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr.
The President yesterday convened a Cabinet meeting in Malacañang without Robredo who resigned from the HUDCC over major differences with Duterte.
“It is with a heavy heart that I accept the resignation of Vice President Leni Robredo,” the President was quoted by Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar as saying.
Robredo yesterday tendered her resignation letter to Malacañang and said working in the Cabinet has become “untenable” after being barred from attending meetings.
But she said she is not turning her back on the tasks at hand in housing, saying that she would still perform an “active” role despite her resignation from the HUDCC.
“It is not because I’m no longer in HUDCC, I would not do anything. Even I was removed I can’t abandon our advocacy in housing,” Robredo said.
“We would add housing in our advocacies. We would still be working. It would just be harder now I’m not the head,” the Vice President added.
Andanar said Duterte has lost confidence in Robredo but would not resort to moves to unseat her from office.
Andanar insisted there has been a falling out between the two leaders following irreconcilable differences in issues such as alleged extrajudicial killings and the burial of President Ferdinand E. Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City. (Genalyn D. Kabiling and Raymund F. Antonio)