By Raymund Antonio
Vice President Leni Robredo disputed allegations that the Liberal Party was behind the viral video that linked presidential son and former Davao City vice mayor Paolo Duterte in the illegal drug trade.
Vice President Leni Robredo
(Photo by OVP / MANILA BULLETIN)
Robredo said the opposition LP does not have the “means” to make such video, which President Duterte described as nothing but garbage.
“Baka tanungin kung sinong ‘yellows,’ kasi karamihan sa mga ‘yellows’ kasama na nila, ‘di ba?” Robredo told reporters in Tagbiliran, Bohol.
(Maybe they have to be asked who are the yellows, because most of the yellows are with them, right?)
“Kaya nga kami nahihirapan kasi kakaunti na lang naman iyong natira sa partido. At kayo iyong makakapagsabi na wala nang means para mag-mount ng something like this. Sa kampanya pa lang nga, hirap na hirap na kaming umikot dahil walang resources, papasok pa kami sa ganito?” Robredo said.
(We are having difficulties because only a few members are left in the party. And even you can say that we don’t have the means to mount something like this. During the campaign, it’s so hard for us to go around since we don’t have resources, then we will enter into something like this?)
The President has accused Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and the “yellows” of conducting a smear campaign against his son, who was tagged by a certain “Bikoy” in the viral video titled “Totoong Narco List” as among the recipients of payoffs from drug syndicates.
Apart from Paolo, the controversial six-minute video uploaded on YouTube also featured Agriculture Assistant Secretary Waldo Carpio, brother of presidential son-in-law Manases Carpio.
“Purveyor of that is and the rest of the Yellows, so hinahayaan ko na lang ‘yang si Trillanes (so I just let him be). That has become his passion,” the Chief Executive said in media interview in Puerto Princesa City.
Yellow is the color of LP, of which Robredo is chair. The opposition party is also part of the coalition that is fielding the eight-member “Otso Diretso” slate for the May 13 polls.
The Vice President denied the alleged involvement of the once-ruling LP to what Duterte claimed as an old black propaganda being perpetrated by the “Yellows” or the opposition.
Robredo said there must be an “independent” investigation into the matter.
“Iyong sa amin, seryoso iyong alegasyon, seryoso iyong accusation. Mas mabuting harapin… Hindi nakakatulong na mag-fingerpoint kung kani-kanino.,” she said.
(For us, the allegation is serious, the accusation is serious. It would be better they face it. Finger-pointing is not helpful.)