VP spox to Isko Moreno after mayor asks him to stop speaking for Robredo: ‘K’

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo’s spokesperson and lawyer Barry Gutierrez gave a simple response to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno after the latter asked him to stop speaking for his boss:

“K :),” Gutierrez said in a statement about Moreno’s call.

Both Robredo and Moreno are vying for the presidency in the 2022 national elections.

READ: Isko Moreno tells OVP spox to stop speaking for Robredo

The Manila mayor earlier said that Gutierrez should stop speaking for Robredo, after the Vice President opted to skip reacting to the local chief executive’s call for her to withdraw.

Moreno, who was in a press briefing with two other presidential bets last Easter Sunday — Senator Panfilo Lacson and former secretary Norberto Gonzales — stood firm on finishing the presidential race.

However, Moreno also called on Robredo to make the ‘supreme sacrifice’ of withdrawing from the presidential race, which Lacson and Norberto did not agree with.

Shooting incident in Bukidnon

Instead of talking about the Manila mayor’s remark, Gutierrez instead focused on the welfare of another presidential candidate, labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman, whose team in Bukidnon was fired upon by still unknown individuals.

Gutierrez said in a statement on Wednesday that they are grateful that De Guzman is safe after the incident, adding that they would try to get more details so that the Office of the Vice President can offer assistance to the victims.

“We are thankful that Ka Leody de Guzman is safe after the incident in Bukidnon. There can never be any justification for firing at peaceful, unarmed civilians,” Gutierrez said.

“We await more clarity on what happened, including verified details of the injured so we may offer assistance,” he added.

During a meeting with members of the Manobo-Pulangiyon tribe in Quezon, Bukidnon to talk about the ancestral land claims of the indigenous people (IP) communities.  However, several gunshots were heard during the event, resulting in injuries for two individuals — including one who was just standing beside de Guzman.

De Guzman was unharmed in the incident.

“Salamat sa mga nag-alala. Ako po at sila kasamang Roy Cabonegro at David D’angelo ay ligtas,” De Guzman said in the tweet.

“Ang tinamaan ay ang nasa tabi ko, si Nanie Abela, na organizer ng mga magsasaka sa Mindanao. Casualty rin ang isang lider ng tribong Manobo-Pulangiyon,” he added.

Salamat sa mga nag-alala. Ako po at sila kasamang Roy Cabonegro at David D'angelo ay ligtas.

Ang tinamaan ay ang nasa tabi ko, si Nanie Abela, na organizer ng mga magsasaka sa Mindanao. Casualty rin ang isang lider ng tribong Manobo-Pulangiyon.

— Ka Leody de Guzman (@LeodyManggagawa) April 19, 2022

The shooting comes as the tribe protested the alleged land-grabbing incident of their ancestral land.

“Inirereklamo ng naturang tribo ang landgrabbing sa kanilang ancestral land. Naiulat na may ilang tinamaan sa insidente, kasama ang lokal na organizer ng mga magsasaka at lider ng mga Manobo-Pulangiyon,” PLM said.

“Kapayapaan sa Mindanao! Igalang ang karapatan ng mga indigenous people at Bangsa Moro,” said in another tweet.

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