Leni Robredo mum for now over looming Senate probe of Puno, Robredo papers

Lawyer Leni Robredo CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Leni Robredo, the widow of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo declined to face print, radio and television reporters who went to her house in Naga City on Monday to seek her comment on the plan of Sen. Miriam Defensor to invite her to the Senate committee investigating alleged irregularities involving Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno.

Leni was sought by the press amid statements from Malacañang that she asked for Malacañang’s help to secure her late husband’s documents at the DILG.

In interviews granted by Leni aired by top news channels based in Manila, she said she instructed her house staff not to let anybody in when several government men tried to enter the Robredos’ private condominium unit in Metro Manila to retrieve his papers, a day after Robredo plane crashed.  Puno turned out to be among the men who tried to get into Robredo’s apartment.

A house caretaker told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Monday, that Mrs. Robredo had told her to inform all reporters that had gone to her house that she would wish not to be interviewed at the moment.’

Jun Lavadia, a family friend of the Robredos, reached by phone Monday, said he also had nothing to say because Mrs. Robredo “has no comment” on the issue.

Lavidia acted as the Robredo family spokesman during the three-day search for the Interior Secretary who died in a plane crash in waters off Masbate on Aug. 18.