PHOTO FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
The so-called “Naga Leaks” linking the late Jesse Robredo to illegal gambling and drugs was created only because critics failed to silence Vice President Leni Robredo.
Robredo on Wednesday slammed those behind the latest social media attack against her and her husband, the former Interior Secretary, initiated by the group “We Are Collective,” whose members remain anonymous.
“Noong wala na sigurong mapiga sa akin, iyong asawa kong limang taon na nananahimik, iyon naman iyong nabiktima ngayon,” Robredo said during the “Women Defending Democracy” forum at Miriam College.
(When they ran out things to squeeze out from me, my husband who has been in peace for five years, he’s now the victim.)
The Vice President said the false stories against her—from having an affair with a Quezon City congressman to having an abortion abroad—were made to chastise her for being vocal.
Robredo, since she was a member of President Duterte’s Cabinet, has been openly criticizing Duterte’s administration for its certain policies, including the reimposition of death penalty and the rampant drug killings in the country.
“Ano ang kapalit ng pagiging vocal ko? Lahat ng kuwento naibigay na sa akin. Halimbawa isang kuwento, bago ko napangasawa ang asawa ko may iba na akong asawa na NPA (New People’s Army). Pagkatapos noong hindi iyon dumikit, mayroon na akong boyfriend. Pagkatapos nagadvance pa ng konti, buntis na. Noong ‘di lumaki ang tiyan ko nagpaabort na ako. Akala ko sa mga artista lang ang kuwento na iyon at di pa nakuntento,” she said.
(What was in exchange for my being vocal? All sorts of stories have been given about me. For example, one story says that before I married my husband, I had another husband from the NPA. After this story didn’t stick, there was another one saying I had a boyfriend. Then they advanced it, saying I was pregnant. When I didn’t show signs of pregnancy, they said I had an abortion. I thought only celebrities had those kinds of stories.)
“Ganoon na ba kababa iyong nadatnan natin?” she added.
(Is that how low we’ve gone?)
Robredo said she opted to keep silent and to ignore the rumors because she can defend herself.
But when critics started attacking her husband, that was when she drew the line.
“Iyong asawa ko na ‘di na kayang depensahan ang sarili niya dahil hindi niyo ko napapatahimik, siya naman iyong bibiktimahin niyo,” she continued.
(My husband who can’t defend himself because he’s now resting in peace, he’s now the victim.)
She then asked the crowd if this was the kind of society the people want.
“Ito ba iyong mundo na gusto nating kalakihan ng mga anak natin na hindi na natin alam ang totoo sa hindi? Siyempre hindi ang sagot natin. Kaya ang susunod na tanong, ano ang gagawin natin?” Robredo said.
(Is this the kind of world where we want our children to grow up in where we don’t know what’s true and what’s not? Of course our answer is no. So the next question is, what will do now?) JE