Malacañang explained that President Duterte went on a ranting spree against Vice President Leni Robredo this week because the Chief Executive was reacting to a statement made by someone who is "always wrong."
(OPS / FILE PHOTO)
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Robredo said she thought that Duterte was too sensitive and did not sound like a president when he called her out during his weekly public address on March 1.
In his Thursday presser, Roque said President Duterte reacted the way he did because Vice President Robredo was wrong again.
"'Yan ay reaksyon ng Pangulo sa tao na laging mali (That is the President's reaction to someone who is always wrong)," he said.
Roque was referring to Robredo's statement about Sinovac not securing a positive recommendation from the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC), which makes a separate assessment of the available vaccines based on peer-reviewed journals.
In his press briefing, Roque reiterated that the HTAC recommendation was not necessary.
"Ang konteksto ng sinasabi ng Presidente na mali na naman si VP ay 'yung sinasabi niya na dapat mag-antay 'yung mga medical frontliners ng HTAC recommendation para magpaturok (The context behind President Duterte saying the Vice President was wrong again was when she said that medical frontliners should wait for an HTAC recommendation before getting vaccinated)," he said.
"Hindi po kinakailangan 'yan (That is not needed)," he added, reiterating that the HTAC is purely recommendatory.
On March 1, President Duterte accused Vice President Robredo of making herself relevant by making "idiotic" statements. He said he was willing to give Robredo money to shop for vaccines.
He added that the Vice President can die but he will never forsake the medical frontliners.
"Sometimes you make an idiotic stand. Yung mga ganoon (Your statements like), 'They deserve the best.' Bakit? Ako? (Why?) I would give them the worst?" Duterte said.
"Mamatay ka na, hindi ko iwanan ang mga (You can go ahead and die but I will never forsake our) frontliners. And you do not need to really be redundant about it," he added.
President Duterte has acknowledged that not all health workers want the Sinovac vaccine. He said he respects their decision to wait for another brand.