Robredo: Why would I ‘dictate’ petitioners to withdraw DQ case vs Marcos?

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo has made it clear that she did not have a hand in the disqualification case filed against former senator Bongbong Marcos, saying that she and the petitioners never talked about it.

Robredo however, during the Rotary Club of Makati online forum on Tuesday, insisted that she would not order the petitioners to withdraw the disqualification case

“Sa akin naman hindi naman kami diktador, bakit namin didiktahan ‘yong mga petitioners na i-withdraw ‘yon,” Robredo told the panel from the Rotary Club of Makati.

“But if Mr. Marcos thinks that there is no ground for the petition to prosper, wala naman siyang dapat ikatakot,” she added.

The topic was raised by one of the panelists in the question and answer portion of the forum, after Robredo was asked to react to Marcos’ latest statements.  In a press conference, Marcos urged Robredo to tell her colleagues to withdraw the petition.

Previously, Marcos’ lawyer Vic Rodriguez also claimed that “yellow wannabe political assassins” are behind the disqualification case.

READ: Marcos camp deems disqualification case as ‘mere propaganda’ and Comelec ‘used as launchpad’

Marcos and Rodriguez did not drop any names, but lawyer Howard Calleja, a convener of opposition coalition 1Sambayan, is also a petitioner in the disqualification case.

1Sambayan picked Robredo as its standard-bearer even before she announced her presidential bid for the 2022 national elections.

Calleja, who happened to be one of the panelists chosen by the Rotary Club of Makati, clarified that he and Robredo never talked about the petition.

“Sir if I’m not mistaken, Attorney Howie Calleja is one of the petitioners, tanungin natin si (let us ask) Atty. Howie if we had anything to do with the petition,” Robredo said.

“Of course Madam Vice President, I’m here to confirm that we never talked about the petition, so I think that is to clear the air on everything,” Calleja explained.

Last November 2, petitioners asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify Marcos, on grounds that he did not properly state facts in his certificate of candidacy (COC).  According to petitioners, he did not include getting final conviction for a tax evasion case in his COC.

READ: Disqualify Bongbong Marcos, martial law victims ask Comelec 

Civil society groups said that more petitions against Marcos would come in the next few days.

Last November 5, Robredo was also asked to comment on insinuations that she is linked to the disqualification case.  During that forum, Robredo said that the complaint does not matter to her.

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