Manila, Philippines - Cory Aquino made history when she won as the first female president of the Philippines. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also made history as the first female vice president. Now, Vice President Leni Robredo will make history as the first VP to be fired by the president.
Robredo tendered her resignation from the Cabinet as chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council on Sunday, after she received a text message from Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco Jr. saying that President Duterte is ordering her to stop attending all Cabinet meetings starting Monday.
“This is the last straw, because it makes it impossible for me to perform my duties,” Robredo announced in a statement on Sunday evening.
She assured, however, that she will not allow the Vice Presidency to be stolen. Robredo defeated Bongbong Marcos in the Vice Presidential race by only 263,473 votes.
During her five-month chairmanship of the HUDCC, the agency has had “solid accomplishments” despite a P19-billion budget cut and inaction on appointment recommendations and the executive order to make the HUDCC more effective.
“Resigning from the Cabinet would still allow me to continue to support the positive initiatives of this administration and oppose those that are inimical to the people’s interest,” she said.
