The Liberal Party had become comfortable in being the ruling party of the past administration and was thus caught "unprepared" as it now finds itself as the minority, Vice President Leni Robredo said.
At a "Meet Inquirer" sit-down on Thursday, Robredo noted that this may be why the party has not raised enough opposition against the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"I think the LP is not doing enough at this point, and naiintindihan ko naman kung bakit... Parang nabulaga kasi 'yung LP," said the Vice President, now interim chairman of the party.
"Parang nabigla at dahil nabigla, hindi nakapag-react nang maayos," she added.
Robredo noted that the party—which joined the "supermajority" in Congress—was caught off-guard over losing many of its members.
LP counted much on the political capital of its previous chairman, former President Benigno Aquino III, she added.
Aquino's "anointed successor" and Robredo's running-mate, former Interior Sec. Mar Roxas, placed second in the May polls, losing to Duterte by more than 6.6 million votes.
"We were the majority party before. Parang naging very complacent because the President was part of the Liberal Party. Parang nakaasa lahat do'n. When this happened, parang walang handa," she added.
"Parang ang biruan nga, kasya na sa isang Volkswagen sa kaunti," she said.
"We were so used to so many. We were so used to being the dominant party, then all of a sudden—ganu'n lang naman 'yung buhay, nasa taas, nasa baba—ngayon nasa baba, and we were not prepared for it."
Robredo noted that they have not met as a party, hence they "don't have any stand yet as a party" on issues, including the spate of extrajudicial killings, the revival of death penalty, and the controversial burial of the late Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Instead, allies in Senate and the House have been issuing their respective statements as groups.
"The resolution last night was, pagpasok ng January, we should meet as a party already to discuss what would our stand be," she said.
'Daunting' for reluctant leader
While she doesn't intend to leave the party, Vice President reiterated her reluctance to lead LP, having joined only after the death of her husband, longtime Naga City mayor and former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.
However, the party's rules provide that the highest elected official of the party will take on a leadership role.
Adding to this is the "daunting" task to change the "stigma" over the party, taunted by many—including the President himself—for being "yellows."
"Because I'm coming from LP, there is already a stigma that has been assigned to it by so many people, also because I think some of the things said during the campaign really stuck. It turned off so many people," she said.
"The challenge really is how to continue being a part of LP and removing that stigma," she added.
Robredo said most of the accusations against the party have been "unfair," notably the allegation that the party was plotting Duterte's ouster.
She also said it was an insult to say that she takes directions from LP.
"Insulto para sabihin na ako nadidiktahan ng partido," she said. "I would understand if there is a bit of hesitation [na baguhan lang ako], but to claim that I am a minion of LP is unfair."
At a "Meet Inquirer" sit-down on Thursday, Robredo noted that this may be why the party has not raised enough opposition against the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"I think the LP is not doing enough at this point, and naiintindihan ko naman kung bakit... Parang nabulaga kasi 'yung LP," said the Vice President, now interim chairman of the party.
"Parang nabigla at dahil nabigla, hindi nakapag-react nang maayos," she added.
Robredo noted that the party—which joined the "supermajority" in Congress—was caught off-guard over losing many of its members.
LP counted much on the political capital of its previous chairman, former President Benigno Aquino III, she added.
Aquino's "anointed successor" and Robredo's running-mate, former Interior Sec. Mar Roxas, placed second in the May polls, losing to Duterte by more than 6.6 million votes.
"We were the majority party before. Parang naging very complacent because the President was part of the Liberal Party. Parang nakaasa lahat do'n. When this happened, parang walang handa," she added.
"Parang ang biruan nga, kasya na sa isang Volkswagen sa kaunti," she said.
"We were so used to so many. We were so used to being the dominant party, then all of a sudden—ganu'n lang naman 'yung buhay, nasa taas, nasa baba—ngayon nasa baba, and we were not prepared for it."
Robredo noted that they have not met as a party, hence they "don't have any stand yet as a party" on issues, including the spate of extrajudicial killings, the revival of death penalty, and the controversial burial of the late Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
Instead, allies in Senate and the House have been issuing their respective statements as groups.
"The resolution last night was, pagpasok ng January, we should meet as a party already to discuss what would our stand be," she said.
'Daunting' for reluctant leader
While she doesn't intend to leave the party, Vice President reiterated her reluctance to lead LP, having joined only after the death of her husband, longtime Naga City mayor and former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.
However, the party's rules provide that the highest elected official of the party will take on a leadership role.
Adding to this is the "daunting" task to change the "stigma" over the party, taunted by many—including the President himself—for being "yellows."
"Because I'm coming from LP, there is already a stigma that has been assigned to it by so many people, also because I think some of the things said during the campaign really stuck. It turned off so many people," she said.
"The challenge really is how to continue being a part of LP and removing that stigma," she added.
Robredo said most of the accusations against the party have been "unfair," notably the allegation that the party was plotting Duterte's ouster.
She also said it was an insult to say that she takes directions from LP.
"Insulto para sabihin na ako nadidiktahan ng partido," she said. "I would understand if there is a bit of hesitation [na baguhan lang ako], but to claim that I am a minion of LP is unfair."
Source: gmanetwork
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