Duterte looks for Robredo in final SONA: ‘Are you here, Ma’am?’

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday departed from his adversarial rhetoric against Vice President Leni Robredo in his final State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Duterte looked for Robredo at the Batasang Pambansa as he was enumerating the government’s infrastructure projects in the provinces, particularly in Sorsogon, which is located in Robredo’s home region of Bicol.

Robredo, however, was monitoring the SONA virtually.

“Sorsogon is a little politics but that’s the territory of our Vice President Leni Robredo. Are you here, Ma’am? Ah Zoom,” the President said.

State-run PTV’s broadcast then showed Robredo on the screen, waving her hand.

Robredo's spokesperson Barry Gutierrez earlier said the Vice President received the invitation to attend the SONA via Zoom like last year but days later she was invited to be physically present at the House of Representatives.

However, Robredo could not physically attend the SONA as she has yet to receive her second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Guidelines indicate that only those fully-vaccinated are allowed to attend in-person.

Duterte has repeatedly lashed out at Robredo for her criticisms of the government’s policies, ranging from the war on drugs to the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.—AOL, GMA News