AFTER the first 100 days of the Duterte administration and the controversial war on drugs and radical shifts in foreign policy, Vice President Leni Robredo described the current state of the country as extraordinary times.
"Every change in administration, mayroon talagang rough times and I think this is one of those," she said.
Robredo, who won the vice presidency under the Liberal Party, has found herself taking positions at times diametrically opposite to that taken by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
A contentious issue was the issue of the burial of the late President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani where Robredo expressed her strong opposition.
"If there's one thing also, it's been difficult… These are extraordinary times. It's not a very easy place to be in pero sa akin naman, I've always been very vocal on certain issues I do not agree with," she said.
She said that she has spoken against extrajudicial killings, burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani of Marcos, presentation of the alleged sex video of a senator in a congressional inquiry, bringing back death penalty, and on lowering the age of criminal liability.
"I've always been very vocal about it. I've been very public with my statements. Pero if there's one thing that I'm grateful for, it's that the President does not take it against me," she said.
Robredo thanked the President that while she did not agree with him in some policy issues, the President did not take it against her.
Robredo said the President assured her that more important is that they understand each other.
She said that was reassuring as it would be impossible to find perfect agreement.
"So far, I think my opinions and my feelings on these issues have been respected," she said.
Robredo said that she hopes the country would not have to go through another serious upheaval.
"Kasi marami na tayong narating, mahirap naman na babalik tayo," she said.
She said that the country has to face the issue of hunger and poverty, which she describes as the larger war and the root of all the suffering in the country.
"Marami tayong kahirapan nayon, pero ako I'm always hopeful that tomorrow will be better than today," she said.
She does not see herself antagonizing the President as she said it does not help the country.
"Sana hindi dumating iyong time na mag-aaway kami kasi I don't think the country would benefit from that," she said as she strives for the benefit of all under the Duterte administration.
"Pero hanggang nirerespeto naman ang aking pananaw, I think walang problema," Robredo said. (Sunnex)