Sinabi ni Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon nitong Huwebes na ang pagtawag kay Bise Presidente Leni Robredo na isang “spare tire”” ay lubusang na “immaterial and uncalled for.”

Reaksiyon ito ni Drilon sa mga pahayag na binigkas ni presidential spokesperson Harry Roque na kamakailan lamang ay ginawan ng ng isyu ang “postings” ni Robredo sa Twitter kung saan nagbigay siya ng mga real-time update ng kanyang relief efforts kasunod ng napakalaking pagbaha sa Cagayan at Isabela.

“Indeed, Iknow for a fact that the Vice President is doing more than what is required of her. She is generating help from the private sector in order to help our kababayan. Again, it is unfortunate that this statement has been made. It is completely immaterial and uncalled for,” sinabi ni Drilon sa isang panayam ng CNNPhilippines.

Gayunman, sinabi ni Drilon na ang mga verbal attacks ni Pangulong Duterte laban sa bise presidente ay hindi na nakakagulat dahil siya rin ay nakaranas na tumanggap ng mga personal na pag-atake ng pinuno.

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“Iam no longer surprised. I’ve been on the receiving end also in the past, also when Iwas at the start and the end of the State of the Nation Address (SONA), if you remember. Iwas not surprised,” aniya.

“But what saddens me is that number one, the statements of the President were based on information which turned out to be inaccurate,” ipinunto ni Drilon.

Sinabi ng pinuno ng minorya na dahil nilinaw nina Secretary Salvador Panelo at Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ang maling ulat na nagmula sa Philippine Air Force (PAF) at humihingi ng paumanhin para sa maling impormasyon na tila ipinasa nila sa Pangulo, inaasahan niyang maisasantabi na ng bansa ang mga isyung ito.

“We would like to appeal to everyone, the President, the Vice President, that let us have a unified voice. Our people need an undivided attention of the government,” aniya.

“Politics will come later if you must say. But right now, given the extent of the damage and the need of the people, there is a need for a united leadership at this point,” giit niya.

“That the VP is a spare tire is completely immaterial. All of us, whether you are the President, the Vice President, senator, congressman, or an ordinary citizen, your help is needed by our millions of unfortunate brothers and sisters in the calamity-hit areas. It is completely immaterial to the help needed by our people. You do not have to be vice president to help. Yes, there are no particular functions assigned by the President to the Vice President, that is the prerogative of the President but that is not material to the help that the Vice President is doing in the calamity-hit areas,” inulit niya.