Vice President Leni Robredo INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
The office of Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday issued explanations to “asinine” social media accusations that she was politicking—from Ecuador to Cagayan to Isabela—as it expressed the hope people would be more discerning of the information they get from social media posts.
“The Vice President is saddened that there are [people] spreading wrong information, especially on social media. This is why we should be more responsible users of social media and let’s find out what is the truth in everything that we [see or read],” Georgina Hernandez, Robredo’s spokesperson, said in a media interview, a transcript of which was distributed to reporters.
Hernandez said the Vice President’s visit to the provinces hit by Supertyphoon “Lawin” last week was part of her job as an elected official, particularly as head of the housing agency that would provide assistance to the people who lost their homes.
Robredo’s office was forced to issue an explanation after social media posts accused the Vice President of politicking and taking the job of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Robredo headed straight to typhoon-hit Cagayan and Isabela provinces soon after arriving from the Habitat III summit in Ecuador.
She also found herself accused on social media of “unethical” behavior for having her photo taken with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
It was unclear what Robredo’s critics saw as “unethical” in her interaction with Ban in a UN hosted event, in which she was the designated head of the Philippine delegation comprised of Filipino diplomats and officials from the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
Hernandez said Robredo attended a dinner hosted by the president of Ecuador where she saw Ban, engaged in “small talk” with him, and had their photo taken.
Hernandez said Robredo went to Cagayan and Isabela because as HUDCC chair, the Vice President has to address the needs of those whose houses were destroyed by the typhoon, while others need to avail themselves of calamity loans from the Pag-IBIG Fund.