By Merline Hernando-Malipot The Office of Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday urged the people to work together and give support to the victims of the recent series of earthquakes in Mindanao instead of engaging in “seemingly endless political mudslinging.” Atty. Barry Gutierrez
(FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN) According to vice presidential spokesman , recent social media posts regarding the Mindanao earthquakes being linked to Robredo was a form of “politicking.” Gutierrez noted that on Sunday, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Mon Cualoping tagged Robredo in a Facebook post where he “attempted to insinuate a connection between” the VP and a tweet of a certain Yoly Ong regarding the Mindanao earthquakes. “Since then, numerous other posts have mushroomed all over Facebook, all aimed at linking VP Leni to Ms. Ong, and attempting to make her somehow “accountable” for Ms. Ong’s tweets,” Gutierrez noted. Gutierrez explained that Robredo “already replied via direct message” to Cualoping stating that Ong “has never been employed at the OVP” and that the VP is “totally not in favor” of the indicated post on the Mindanao earthquake. Robredo, Gutierrez said, made it clear to Cualoping that Ong is not connected with OVP and that “this is not the time for politicking but for unity in the face of a national tragedy.” Gutierrez said that Cualoping has yet to give any response to Robredo. Robredo, Gutierrez said, decided to “reply directly” to Cualoping and not in a public post “precisely because she did not want the tragedy that has affected so many of our fellow Filipinos to be further politicized.” “It is apparent, however, that some quarters are determined to use this to attack VP Leni, even as the OVP is engaged in efforts to provide assistance to those displaced by the earthquakes,” Gutierrez added. Gutierrez expressed hope that the issue will be settled “so that we can put to rest, even if only for a moment, the seemingly endless political mudslinging, and focus on what is truly important about this issue - that we must come together and help our brothers and sisters in Mindanao who need our support in this time of tragedy.”