By Merlina Hernando-Malipot With or without formal position in addition to the office she was elected to, Vice President Leni Robredo stressed that her efforts and initiatives to help her fellow Filipinos will remain unhampered. Atty. Barry Gutierrez
(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN) OVP Spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez issued this statement as a response on the exchange between Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque and former senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Robredo’s initiatives amid the COVID-19 crisis in the country. “That's between them,” he said. Trillanes earlier challenged Malacañang to appoint Robredo to chair the inter-agency task force against the COVID-19 pandemic after Roque said that the VP should “offer solutions” instead of criticizing how the government handles people stranded by community quarantines. Gutierrez noted that Robredo’s work to help her countrymen - whether in overcoming poverty, combating the scourge of illegal drugs, or meeting the challenges of COVID-19 - “has never depended on holding any formal position in addition to the office she was elected to.” Robredo, Gutierrez said, has always been ready to serve in “whatever capacity” she is needed. “But more importantly, she will continue to discharge her mandate to work for the welfare of all Filipinos regardless of what designation she is given, what resources are given to her, and what support she receives from the administration,” he ended. In a separate statement, Roque said that it is “unfortunate” how Trillanes is sowing intrigue and division during this challenging time of COVID-19. He also called the former senator not to twist his statement for the “sake of political relevance and just do his share to alleviate the plight of our people amid this pandemic.”