Vice President Leni Robredo
MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Monday apologized for his outburst on Twitter that led him up to calling Vice President Leni Robredo “boba” (dull) for her views on the diplomatic passport row.
In a series of tweets, Locsin explained he did not mean to be disrespectful to Robredo.
“I don’t mean to be disrespectful Ma’am, you are just missing a heartbeat away from the Presidency. I respect you for that accident of fortune. But there are things that require a measure of study & thought. Please ask me next time. At your service, Ma’am,” Locsin said in a tweet amid angry reactions of the public to his criticism of Robredo’ comments.
I don't mean to be disrespectful Ma'am. You are just a missing heartbeat away from the Presidency. I respect you for that accident of fortune. But there are things that require a measure of study & thought. Please ask me next time. At your service, Ma'am. https://t.co/ghTHGtwKeg
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) June 24, 2019
“I apologized. Offered intellectual help. Sincere about it,” Locsin said in a separate tweet responding to a netizen who advised the foreign affairs secretary to take it easy.
I apologized. Offered intellectual help. Sincere about it. https://t.co/CrpUlamcaY
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) June 24, 2019
READ: Locsin calls Robredo ‘boba’ and asks someone to ‘give her a brain’
Citing the Constitution, Locsin then said that he would “kill anyone” who denies Robredo of succeeding President Rodrigo Duterte in event that the President has to be replaced.
“No. I won’t pray for that. She is the rightful successor of [Duterte] under the constitution. I will kill anyone who denies her that,” Locsin said responding to a netizen who advised him to pray that Duterte would not die suddenly as Robredo would be the one to take over the presidency.
No. I wont pray for that. She is the rightful successor of DU under the constitution. I will kill anyone who denies her that. https://t.co/2RZEnV1tNu
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) June 24, 2019
Locsin echoed this sentiment in another tweet, saying that Robredo “really won the election.”
“She is our Vice President. I have [apologized]. She is the only successor to the President. Elections alone determine who takes what post; not public sentiment. Besides she really won the elections. 200,000 is huge,” Locsin said.
No, it is not. She is our Vice President. I have apologized. She is the only successor to the President. Elections alone determine who takes what post; not public sentiment. Besides she really won the election. 200,000 is huge. https://t.co/01HgjbHgr1
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) June 24, 2019
Locsin issued the apology after calling Robredo “boba” for her comments on the cancellation of diplomatic passports.
Robredo, on her weekly radio show “BISErbisyong Leni,” questioned the foreign affairs department’s decision to cancel all diplomatic passports after former foreign affairs secretary Albert Del Rosario was barred from entering Hong Kong last June 19.
READ: Ex-DFA chief denied entry to Hong Kong
“Hey boba, that is precisely why I have ordered the cancellation of all courtesy diplomatic passports because I refuse to single out Del Rosario,” Locsin said on Twitter.
“Will someone please do her the kindness to give her a brain? Here I am trying to do what’s right, which is to restrict diplomatic passports to real existing working diplomats so as not to devalue them abroad—and not pass them out as favors to retirees and friends,” he added. (Editor: Abe Cerojano)