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Cordial at first sight: Duterte, Robredo meet

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Thea Alberto-Masakayan, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-social"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E4Y3fx7qO3o" width="600"></iframe></figure><p>It was a cordial first meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo, a day after they held separate inauguration ceremonies.</p><p>Before starting his speech at the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Change of Command on Friday, 71-year-old Duterte, the country&#x27;s first septuagenarian president, acknowledged Robredo&#x27;s presence and seemed pleased in meeting the former congresswoman.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/nation/07/1/leni-digong-070116.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc"><em>Photo from Leni Robredo&#x27;s official twitter account</em></div></figcaption></figure></div><p>&quot;This is my first time to meet you personally, ma&#x27;am,&quot; Duterte told Robredo, who was also onstage, seated alongside military officials.</p><p>&quot;I would have preferred to be seated beside you but andiyan si Defense [Secretary Delfin Lorenzana] eh,&quot; Duterte added, drawing laughter from the crowd.</p><p>A beaming Robredo responded with a nod. Prior to the program, the two were also seen shaking hands.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:50.0% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHTt_YvAsmW/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A video posted by Chiara Zambrano (@chiarazambrano)</a> on <time dateTime="2016-07-01T06:03:27+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Jun 30, 2016 at 11:03pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="~//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>In an ambush interview after the ceremonies at Camp Aguinaldo, Robredo said she had a &quot;very cordial&quot; meeting with Duterte.</p><p>&quot;Very cordial iyong meeting. Nagpaalam ako sa kaniya kung pwede ako magpaset ng scheduling, or courtesy visit. Sabi naman niya, anytime,&quot; Robredo said.</p><p>She said she will immediately work on setting the meeting.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><div style="padding-top:66.375%"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1469857" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></div></figure><p>This appears to have broken the ice between Duterte and Robredo, who ran for their respective posts under rival political parties.</p><p>Robredo was the administration Liberal Party bet who defeated Duterte&#x27;s running mate, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano.</p><p>Duterte and Robredo were <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/29/16/duterte-robredo-were-set-to-meet-aide-says">supposed to meet</a> before the inauguration but the then-Vice President-elect&#x27;s Japan trip supposedly got in the way, according to Duterte&#x27;s aide de camp Bong Go.</p><p>Robredo, who had a separate inauguration in Quezon City, was also not invited to Duterte&#x27;s inaugural ceremony at the Palace.</p><p>In May, Duterte said he would not appoint Robredo to a Cabinet position as he did not want his &quot;friend&quot; Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos Jr. to get hurt.</p><p>READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/05/31/16/duterte-no-cabinet-post-for-leni-robredo">Duterte: No Cabinet post for Leni Robredo</a></p><p>READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/05/30/16/robredo-i-have-no-right-to-demand-cabinet-post">Robredo: I have no right to demand Cabinet post</a></p><p>During the campaign, however, Duterte said he found Robredo beautiful and even joked about <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/05/25/16/watch-what-duterte-plans-to-give-leni">giving her a ring</a>.</p><p>READ: <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/05/30/16/what-duterte-robredo-have-in-common">What Duterte and Robredo have in common</a></p><div><strong>-- With reports from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

It was a cordial first meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo, a day after they held separate inauguration ceremonies. 

Cordial at first sight: Duterte, Robredo meet

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Cordial at first sight: Duterte, Robredo meet

Thea Alberto-Masakayan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 01, 2016 04:19 PM PHT

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Updated July 02, 2016 03:38 AM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

Leni Robredo

Philippines

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