TAGUM CITY –The criticisms thrown at Vice President Leni Robredo by former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, a staunch defender of President Duterte, are now just a thing of the past.
This after the lawmaker, who was sitting next to Robredo when they held a presser in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, publicly apologized for all the "unpleasant" remarks he made in the past.
"Hindi naman siguro pinaka-critic ‘no (Not really the most known critic). Although, aminin ko, nag-critic din ako kay Vice President, marami rin akong nasabi na 'di maganda at humihingi ako ng tawad, Ma’am (I admit, I had also criticized Vice President, I also said many unpleasant things, and I apologize, Ma'am)," Alvarez said.
The apology came after Alvarez, who is also the president of Partido ng Demokratikong Reporma, shifted his support from the party's standard bearer Senator Panfilo Lacson to Robredo.
Robredo, who is known for her openness to criticisms, told Alvarez he doesn't need to apologize.
"Unang una (First and foremost), Speaker, you do not need to apologize," Robredo told Alvarez.
"Kasi (Because) over the course of our service naman to the country, merong mga bagay na di talaga mapagkakasunduan (there are disagreements)," she said.
"Yung mga magkakampi, hindi naman expected na nagkakasundo sa lahat ng mga bagay. Kami, wala naman kaming personal. Wala sa amin na personal na disagreement (Even those who are allies are not expected to agree with each other all the time. We don't have personal disagreements)," the aspiring president went on.
In 2017, Alvarez called Robredo "shameless" for the latter's criticisms over President Duterte's war on drugs, which he claimed was an act tarnishing the country's reputation.
Alvarez then said he was studying the possibility of an impeachment complaint against Robredo.
The former House speaker said he didn't have anything against the Vice President, that was just how he is as a person.
"Nung time na ako ay speaker, lahat ginawa ko para protektahan at depensahan yung ating pangulo. Ganun talaga ugali ko, pag dinedepensahan ko yung kasama ko, I really take the bullets. Kahit magalit kayo sa akin... inaarbor ko yung away. Pero wala, ganung talaga ako. Yan yung nature ng personality ko (During my time as a speaker, I did every thing to protect and defend the President. That's really my character, in defending my friends, I really take the bullets. Even if you take it against me...I own the fight. That's really who I am. That's the nature of my personality)," Allvarez said.
Robredo, on the other hand, stressed that she is putting this in the past, and stayed true to her stand that her running as an independent also means she is open to all who have the same aspirations and advocacy as her.
"Meron siguro kaming hindi pinagkasunduan in the past, and most probably hindi kami aligned sa lahat ng bagay. Pero ang parati ko dyan sinasabi, na ang pinakamahalaga ay yung mga bagay na pinagkakasunduan niyo, hindi yung mga bagay na hindi niyo pinagkakasunduan (There are disagreements in the past and most probably we are not aligned in many things. But I always say that the agreements are more important than the disagreements)," Robredo said.
"In this case, pareho din kami ni Speaker Alvarez na naniniwala na yung bansa (Speaker Alvarez and I are aspiring the same for the country)," she added, noting that they share the same goal to "to fix our country through good governance."
READ MORE: Robredo's presidency bid backed by ex-Speaker Alvarez, Partido Reporma