‘Try harder’: Robredo belies text scam linking her to communists (Sabong News)

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday, March 13, fired back at fake news peddlers who are behind the text blasts alleging that she is forming a coalition government with communist groups. Robredo said in a statement posted on her Facebook page that she will never support armed conflict to solve any problems in the country. “Once and for all: Kaliwa, kanan, taas, baba, lahat handa tayong pakinggan — basta tapat, mapayapa, at handang magtrabaho para iangat ang buhay ng Pilipino (left, right, up, down, we are ready to listen to all—as long as they are honest, peaceful, and ready to work to improve the lives of Filipinos),” she wrote. The Vice President belied the text message being sent to the public red-tagging her and her volunteers, adding that such “disinformation and propaganda” are targeted to uniformed personnel. “Para klaro: kasinungalingan ito (To be clear: this is a lie),” Robredo stressed. The text blasts apparently quoted Robredo saying that Jose Maria Sison, the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), deserved to be called a hero and that he will be able to come home from his exile abroad if she wins as president. Another text alleged that the CPP and the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the communist group, fully support Robredo’s presidential bid. This is contrary to a recent tweet from Sison who called labor leader Leody de Guzman a “principle and courageous political leader” and the “best” of the presidential candidates this 2022. Robredo stressed that she will never form an alliance with communist groups or anyone who believes in armed conflict. “Priority ko ang magtrabaho sa mapayapang paraan para sa dignidad ng bawat tao, ang (My priority is to work in a peaceful manner for the dignity of each person, the) empowered and responsible exercise of freedoms, at ang (and) fairness,” she said. Those who have worked with her, including those in the uniformed services, know what she stands for. “Kaya pwede ba. Gusto nyong pigilin ang momentum ng People’s Campaign (Excuse me. You want to stop the momentum of the People’s Campaign)? Try harder. O better yet: Sumali na lang kaya kayo? Ipanalo na natin ‘to (Why don’t you join? Let’s win this),” Robredo said. The Vice President has been the subject of fake news since she won in 2016, but the massive turnout of her campaign rallies in the past three weeks made her the target of her rivals. She was also a regular target of red-tagging despite receiving the endorsement of retired military and police officers, including former chiefs of staff. Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV challenged President Duterte and Senator Panfilo Lacson to name the communists who they claim to be part of Robredo’s and her running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan’s campaign. READ: “Bilang mga kaalyado ni VP, diretsahan na sasabihin ko na hindi ito totoo pero bibigyan ko pa rin sila ng pagkakataong maglabas ng pangalan (As allies of VP, I will directly say that this is not true but I will still give them a chance to reveal the name),” Trillanes, who is running for a Senate seat under Robredo’s ticket, wrote on Twitter. “Now, if they cannot come up with names, then we can dismiss their allegations as fake news o intriga lang para subukang harangin ang patuloy na pagdami ng suporta ng ating mga kababayan sa kampanya ng (or intrigue in an attempt to stop the increasing support of our people for the campaign of the) Team Leni-Kiko,” he added. His statement came after Duterte claimed that “yellow” opposition and communists are working to disrupt the elections. Lacson, the author of the controversial Anti-Terror Law (ATL), also earlier claimed that a coalition government with the CPP-NPA will waste the gains of the government against insurgency.