Bayan Muna Party-List Rep. Ferdinand Gaite has defended Vice President Leni Robredo from accusations of grandstanding in connection with her post-typhoon response.
According to Gaite, Robredo and other personalities like himself chose to set aside personal safety in order to render assistance to victims of typhoon "Ulysses" last week.
"Pati si Bise President Leni Robredo sinisi niya rin na epal daw (He has called out Vice President Leni Robredo for supposedly grandstanding)," the neophyte congressman said, referring to President Duterte.
"Pero habang tumutulong si (Robredo) at iba pang mga mamamayan, habang siya ay gumamit ng kung anu-anong dahilan na ayaw daw siyang palabasin ng PSG (Presidential Security Group), marami ang naglagay sa sarili nila sa (panganib) para tulungan ang mga mamamayan (While Robredo and others were providing assistance, and as he was using various excuses like claiming that the PSG wouldn't let him out, many individuals faced risks so they could help the people)," Gaite said.
"Ang Bayan Muna tumulong sa Bagong Silang sa Quezon City, sa Marikina, sa San Mateo. Ako mismo nakapunta sa Old Balara para mag-feeding (Bayan Muna rendered assistance in Bagong Silang, Quezon City; in Marikina, in San Mateo. I myself went to Old Balara to do a feeding program)," he said.
Typhoon Ulysses caused massive floods in the metropolis, the level of which was last witnessed in 2009 when "Ondoy" struck the country. President Duterte's supposed absence on the ground last week amid the effects of the deluge led to #NasaanAngPangulo going viral.
Gaite and the rest of the Makabayan bloc have launched multiple relief operations the past few days.
"Hindi pa natapos ito. May binabalak pa by next week kasama ang iba't ibang grupo sa pagtugon sa nasalanta sa Bicol (These aren't over yet. By next week we plan to respond to the typhoon victims in Bicol along with other groups)," he said.
Before Ulysses, typhoon "Rolly" battered the country's central islands. As with all activities, relief operations must now conform to social distancing and other safety precautions because of the persisting COVID-19 pandemic.
It was October 25 when Robredo bared that she had to undergo quarantine after being exposed to a person who turned out to be COVID-positive. The Liberal Party (LP) chairperson tested negative a few days later.
The six-member Makabayan bloc are consistent critics of the Duterte administration.