Sara Duterte had 'casual meeting' with Leni Robredo in Naga
Vice President Sara Duterte had a "casual meeting" with her predecessor Leni Robredo in Naga, the latter's hometown.
The Office of the Vice President said in a statement released on Friday, Sept. 20 that Duterte "had her first-ever Peñafrancia fiesta" after she got an invite from her Bicolano friend to be part of the mass of the Canonical Coronation of Our Lady of Peñafrancia for its centennial anniversary.
"The same friend also arranged a casual meeting with former Vice President Leni Robredo," it said, adding that Duterte also "visited several prominent Bicol personalities and heard mass with ordinary Bicolanos."
"She neither looked desperate nor distressed," the OVP added.
Robredo, through her spokesperson Barry Gutierrez, also confirmed the meet-up, adding that it took place at her home.
"The conversation we had was personal and not political," she said.
Duterte and Robredo are political rivals. Duterte had President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as her running mate during the 2022 national elections under UniTeam, while Robredo entered the race as an independent candidate with Kiko Pangilinan as her running mate for VP. Robredo lost her presidential bid to Marcos.
Last Sept. 18, however, Duterte talked about her relationship with Marcos and said they're "not friends."
"Hindi naman kasi kami talaga nagkausap niyan. Hindi kami magkaibigan," she added. "Nagkakilala lang kami dahil naging running mate kami, so bago pa man kami naging running mate, hindi na kami nag-uusap. Nag-uusap lang kami during campaign at dahil sa trabaho noon."