Robredo decries bullying of daughters amid Palace anger over hashtag they didn't use
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo decried the bullying of her daughters, whose tweets presidential spokesperson Harry Roque presented at an official Palace briefing as supposed justification for linking the vice president to social media posts asking where President Rodrigo Duterte was when Typhoon Ulysses was ravaging Luzon.
The vice president's daughters are not in government.
"Now, my children are being bullied. I have always been proud of the persons my daughters have become. They are their own persons. What they have accomplished, so far, are all borne out of their hardwork," Robredo said in a Facebook post.
"Yes, they’re outspoken and rightfully so. We have trained them to stand up for themselves and what they believe in," the vice president added.
Roque reads vague tweets
The vice president did not identify anyone in her statement posted on her Facebook, but it was issued on the same day that Roque insisted that Robredo is behind the #NasaanAngPangulo hashtag that trended over the weekend.
In a Palace briefing on government response on coronavirus and disaster responses, Roque insisted that the president based this on the context that Robredo posted tweets, “seemingly saying she is in-charge of relief operations.”
Roque also cited posts of people close to the vice president. He mentioned and even showed a screenshot of tweet exchange of two of Robredo’s daughters last weekend. Tricia posted: “Tulog pa rin, alas otso na,” to which Aika replied: “Sabado eh, weekend.”
The Robredo sisters did not tag or refer to anyone in their tweet exchange, but Roque said these two posts supposedly provide the context of questioning the president’s whereabouts.
"So iyan po ‘yan ‘no, iyon po ‘yung konteksto – nasaan si presidente, mga tweets na nanggaling—parang sa anak niya ‘no, sabi nila anak daw ‘no"” Roque said.
(So there, that is the context. 'Where is the president', the tweets came from — like it's from her children, I was told it was her children)
According to a report by the Manila Bulletin, however, "Roque later admitted that he does not know if the tweets of Robredo and her daughters reached the president."
Robredo pointed out that her daughters are not politicians nor do they aim to be.
Fake news purveyors
In the same Facebook post, Robredo also urged the public to report fake news purveyors as she denied a post accusing her of bringing members of the media along with her.
Robredo explained that the photo was taken on Nov. 17, 2018, at the inaguaration of a mental health facility that they helped fund. The supposed “director” is actually a nurse in-charge of the facility.
She also shared a Facebook profile that echoed Duterte’s misogynist remark against the vice president and questioned where she is at night.
Robredo noted photos of her and other people were posted, falsely tagging a boyfriend. Twice, a gay friend has been accused of being her boyfriend. She added that the mostly used photo was taken with someone who was working for her to handle political matters.
“What I do not like is the family is being dragged [to the issue]. His whole family is good to us. They are helping in many of our projects until now. May we not drag them in the crudeness if they are targeting me,” she added. — Kristine Joy Patag
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