(UPDATE) Rody names Leni Housing Czar, VP says 'yes'

MANILA -- President Duterte today gave Vice President Maria Leonor Leni Robredo a cabinet post, erasing public impression he has no cabinet post for the vice president.Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte appointed Robredo as head of the government'sHousing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).Reached for comment by Palace reporters, Robredo said she accepted the post and thanked President Duterte. and//img.youtube.com/vi/Rp4Fq8Yk8qA/hqdefault.jpg ”She was asked to report for the Cabinet meeting on Monday,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre told Malacanang reporters in a briefing Thursday evening.The appointment came as a surprise since the President was very careful of giving any position to Robredo, who comes from another political group -- the Liberal Party (LP) -- and whose win in the May 9 national elections is still being contested by former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, a friend of Duterte.The offer was made to Robredo after the meeting of the Security Cluster of the Cabinet Thursday afternoon, the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported Thursday night.In a video clip shown on state-run People's Television Network PTV-4 during its primetime newscast, the President was seen talking over the phone, asking Robredo if she would accept to head the HUDCC. Can you be the Housing secretary? Tanggapin mo, Ma’am? (Will you accept it, Ma’am?),” he said, to which Robredo apparently answered with yes.”Aguirre, during the briefing, said the change of heart on the part of the President transpired after the country’s two highest officials met during the turnover ceremonies of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Camp Aguinaldo on July 1.He said that the meeting was very amiable” and might be among the reasons why the President decided to give the Housing portfolio to Robredo. We feel that because of the little passage of time, there must be some reconsideration of that decision. And so, here we are and I think this is for the good of the country,” he said.Aguirre said Cabinet members are happy that Robredo has been given a Cabinet position.Asked for the reason why Robredo was given the Housing portfolio, the Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary said this was the same position given to former Vice President Jejomar Binay.During, in the video, teased Rocky Ignacio of PTV-4 for repeatedly asking him what post he will give to Robredo. A phone was handed to him with the vice president on the line. Because Rocky Ignacio is always asking me, so to stop her repeated questions, can you be the Housing czar, the President said as everybody in the venue smiled.