The camp of Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo urged the public to be more discerning about “vicious rumors” against her being spread on social media, including online posts claiming she was pregnant.
“We have gotten reports that there are vicious rumors being spread about Vice President Leni Robredo,” Robredo’s spokesperson Georgina Hernandez said in a statement on Monday.
The rumors are part of a “well-funded demolition campaign” against Robredo, Hernandez said.
“We were warned about these well-funded and well-orchestrated attacks to malign the Vice President. The demolition campaign has begun,” she said.
“And the next logistical question is: who is behind it?”
Robredo’s camp said they trust the Filipino people’s ability to differentiate facts from false stories.
“We have complete trust in the Filipino’s ability to discern fact from fiction, and steer clear of false news. Websites that masquerade as news sources have been fabricating these rumors, which are then spread by troll armies,” she said.
Sass Rogando Sasot, a known staunch supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte and co-founder of the Society of Transsexual Women of the Philippines (STRAP), and blog site Thinking Pinoy hinted on social media that a ranking Liberal Party official was pregnant.
A post by a certain Lilybeth Delacruz Saclamitao also claimed Robredo took a leave of absence to have her child aborted.
“Buntis pala ang VP of the Philippines! Kaya humihingi ng leave ang lola at usap-usapan na baka ipapa abort yung bata,” Saclamitao’s Facebook post claimed. /rga
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