Philippine vice president vows to fight ‘dictatorship’

Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday vowed to oppose a new authoritarian regime in the country, after political differences with President Rodrigo Duterte forced her to quit the cabinet. “Above all, we will strongly remain vigilant and cautious to prevent another return of any form of dictatorship,” Robredo said on Monday, stopping short of directly referring to Duterte as a dictator-in-the-making. Robredo, a political newcomer, human rights lawyer and vocal critic of human rights violations, resigned as housing secretary on Monday after being told to stop attending cabinet meetings. She will keep her position as vice president, however. Image: Wikimedia/Supergabbyshoe “Your directive for me ‘to desist from attending all Cabinet meetings’ has effectively made it impossible for me to do my job. Remaining in your Cabinet has become untenable,” Robredo wrote to Duterte. Duterte accepted Robredo’s resignation “with a heavy heart,” his spokesperson said, and appointed cabinet secretary and...