Another Marcos-Robredo meeting, this time in Palace
Just three days after their meeting in Naga City, President Marcos and former Vice President Leni Robredo had another face-to-face encounter on Monday, but this time inside the chief executive’s official residence.
It was the first time Robredo, the incumbent mayor of Naga City, set foot again inside Malacañang following her resignation from the Cabinet of then President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.
Journalists, state-run media and other guests took many pictures of Mr. Marcos and Robredo together, but the two neither granted interviews nor were spotted having a long conversation.
Robredo was among the hundreds of local chief executives from different parts of the country and different political affiliations who attended the launching of the “Sa Bagong Pilipinas, Bawa’t Bayan Makikinabang” initiative to expand the national government’s support for all local government units through the Local Government Support Fund.
She also attended the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education and city governments for the Nationwide Classroom Building program, which aims to expedite the construction of classrooms and close the gap of the more than 140,000 classroom shortage.
The events were just the third time that Mr. Marcos and Robredo have met since she defeated him for the vice presidency in 2016, with the last two happening within the last three days.
The President visited Naga City on Feb. 20 to inspect the implementation of the “Oplan Kontra Baha” project, and to personally turn over to Robredo the special allotment release order amounting to P500 million for the rehabilitation of the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum.
No politics
Both, however, downplayed their meeting, which happened days after Vice President Sara Duterte announced her intention to run for President in 2028. They told reporters that they were focused on public service, saying it was too early to talk about politics.
Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, who, like Robredo, is a member of the opposition Liberal Party, also described a Marcos-Robredo alliance for the 2028 elections as unlikely.
“I think that is very far-fetched. I believe even our late leaders would probably rise from their graves if we were to form a coalition with the administration,” Erice said in a radio interview over 105.9 True FM on Monday.
The veteran lawmaker added that the late President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III would not have likely endorsed partnering with the Marcos administration if he were still alive, citing their families’ political history and the current government’s corruption scandals.
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