PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Vice President Leni Robredo once again fought back against accusations that she has an alliance with communist rebels, and assured volunteers that her team’s volunteer lawyers stand ready to assist them on harassment charges they may want to file against the rampant red-tagging.
“Uulitin ko: Hindi ako makikipag-alyado sa kahit sinong gumagamit ng dahas para magsulong ng anumang agenda (I will repeat: I will not be in an alliance with anyone who uses violence to push for any agenda),” she said in a statement on Thursday, April 7.
Robredo added that she is one with her volunteers who stand for the truth and hope, as well as those who are put in danger because they are being red-tagged.
“Nandito ako at ang buong campaign team, lalo na ang ating mga volunteer lawyers, para ipagtanggol kayo sa pangha-harass na maaaring maidulot ng laganap na red-tagging laban sa ating mga volunteers (I am here and the whole campaign team, especially our volunteer lawyers, to fight for you against harassment brought upon by rampant red-tagging against our volunteers),” she said.
Accusations that Robredo and her supporters are working with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA), have been in overdrive the past few weeks.
The aspiring president believes the motivation behind these accusations was to stop the momentum of her volunteer-driven People’s Campaign.
“Tandaan natin, nagsimula ito noong naging sunod-sunod ang pagdagsa ng mga tao sa ating mga People’s rally—na para bang di makapaniwala ang iba na puwedeng magkaisa ang karaniwang Pilipino sa ngalan ng pag-asa (Let us remember, this started after the successful People’s rally joined by many people—others cannot believe that ordinary Filipinos can unite in the name of hope),” she said.
READ: Robredo camp fights back; 'critics' irresponsible red-tagging a new low’
Media company Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI), owned by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most wanted list for labor trafficking charges, openly red-tagged Robredo on its show “SMNI News.”
On the eve of her visit to Leyte, a known Marcos bailiwick, last month, streamers were posted on trees and posts red-tagging Robredo.
Even Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin 'Boying' Remulla and fellow presidential bet Senator Panfilo Lacson have red-tagged the Robredo camp after her massive rally in Cavite, the hometown of Remulla and Lacson, drew 47,000 people.
READ: Ping says Leni's supporters gave 'color' to his statement, insists it wasn't red-tagging
Her supporters were not spared. Several posts on social media site Twitter said kakampinks doing house-to-house campaign for Robredo have been harassed and accused of being members of NPA.