DUBREDO DIARIES: His and Her Circumstances

Chapter 4 | July 4, 2016 | His Side

"Anong oras?"

Duterte read the documents as he sat behind his desk. His assistant stood in front of him reporting the schedule for the day.

"3:30 po 'yung sinabi namin sa kanila."

On top of his table was Leni Robredo's certificate of candidacy. He had intended to study it but the picture on the upper right corner distracted him. He flipped to the second page and noted a few points.

"Yung ibang engagements? Naayos mo?"

After a few moments he put down the papers and pinched the area between his eyes and closed them.

"Inilipat na po sa ibang schedule."

Bong Go had been busy the entire weekend as he worked with rescheduling prior appointments.

"Pasensya na, Bong."

Digong knew that this meeting had been long overdue. Contrary to what everyone believed, he wasn't ignoring her, he was simply too preoccupied with other issues.

Bong only nodded in reply to his boss's apology.

There was a brief moment of silence as Digong continued to scan through Leni's documents. It was a neat resume - quite impressive even.

"I will be giving her a cabinet post."

Bong's head moved slightly, his eyes narrowed by a fraction as if disbelieving what he had just heard, but by now he had already been used to the president's unconventional approach.

"Which post?"

"It depends pero I'm eyeing one of the anti-poverty agencies. Isa 'dun sa mga nabanggit sa EO 1. I have signed it and we will be releasing it to the public this afternoon."

"Linilimitahan niyo po ba yung kapangyarihan niya? She'll be under Secretary Evasco kung ganun po?"

"Yes, but my intention is not to limit her powers, I've heard na interested din siya sa stream lining ng poverty agencies. I'm sure she'll appreciate it."

Bong opened his mouth, and then closed it, rationalizing whether or not to ask his question. He decided to ask him anyway.

"Base sa rules ng LP siya po ang magiging susunod na chairman nila."

Digong pressed his finger on the nerve near his ear and leaned back unto his chair, crossing his other arm.

"I don't think kukunin niya yung pwesto."

"Paano niyo nalaman? Sigurado po ba kayo?"

"Kutob lang."

"May possibility na idecline niya yung cabinet offer."

"I will take care of that."

-----

"Sir nasa entrance na po yung vice."

Duterte tried hiding his smile as his assistant announced that the vice president had already arrived in Malacanang.

"Meet her outside. Papasukin mo."

"Yes sir."

As soon as Bong Go was out he chuckled to himself.

Gago ka Digong. Kung ano man yang nasa isip mo...huwag na.

There was a sudden chill down his spine as he recalled their first meeting. She didn't know how much she affected him and he preferred it that way.

Sana lang matapos ang meeting na walang mangyaring ano.

Prior to meeting her, he thought he would hate socializing with her since she was close to one of his greatest rivals in the past elections. Although he has heard about Leni Robredo even before the elections, the campaign period had a way of making you distrust a person's motive.