MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Leni Robredo said on Tuesday, April 12, that the increased attacks of the Marcos camp against her via “fake news” came as no surprise, as she had experienced this in the 2016 vice presidential race, when her survey numbers started to pick up.

Robredo made the statement when asked for a comment on the series of fake news directed at herself and even her daughter Aika in the last few days, following her improved voter preference rating in the March Pulse Asia survey, and increasing support for her presidential bid as seen in her packed campaign rallies and the endorsements of various groups and local officials.

“Hindi ako nagugulat dahil ito na talaga ‘yung kalakaran ng kalaban mula pa noong natalo siya noong 2016. Noong 2016, talagang inulan ako ng lahat na fake news,” she said, apparently referring to fellow presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

(I’m not surprised because this is how the enemy has been operating since he lost in 2016. In 2016, I was really targeted by so much fake news.)

“’Yung mga lawyers will take legal action, pero ako, kami ng mga bata, we refuse to be deterred by ‘yung mga gawa-gawa na ganyan. Dati, ako lang ‘yung focus ng lahat. Pero ngayon na gumagalaw din ‘yung mga anak ko na tulungan ako, pati sila biktima na,” Robredo added, referring to posted links to a supposed lewd video of her eldest daughter, but the video did not exist.

(Our lawyers will take legal action, but on our part, the kids and I, we refuse to be deterred by those kinds of fabrication. I used to be the focus of all attacks. But now that my children are helping me, they too have become victims.)

On Monday, the Vice President addressed what her camp called a “malicious fabrication.” Following the spate of fake news, she tweeted: “Best antidote to fake news is the TRUTH. Let us not lose focus. Tuloy-tuloy lang ang paggawa ng kabutihan. (Let’s just continue doing good.) This was how I survived the last six years.”

Asked whether the “enemy” she referred to was Marcos Jr., she said:  “Oo naman, kasi ginawa na niya sa akin since 2016, consistently ginagawa ‘yun sa akin since nag-pick up ‘yung numbers ko noong 2016 elections. Noong hindi pa nagpi-pick up ‘yung numbers ko, hindi naman ako pinapansin eh. Pero nag-pick up ‘yung numbers ko noong 2016, naging nasa receiving end na ako ng lahat na kasinungalingan.” 

(Of course, because he had done the same thing to me in 2016. They were consistent in doing that to me since my numbers picked up in the 2016 elections. When my numbers were still low, they paid no attention to me. But when my numbers began to pick up in 2016, I was at the receiving end of all those lies.)

Robredo said that instead of resorting to black propaganda to win, the rival camp should instead highlight their platform and the good things that they have done, if any, to give voters an idea of the kind of leadership they offer.

“Kung papaano sila lumaban ngayon, ganoon din ‘pag nakaupo na sila: puno ng kasinungalingan, puno ng dumihan. Dapat ang i-highlight na lang nila ‘yung kabutihan nila saka ‘yung kaya nilang gawin. Siguro kaya nagre-resort sa fake news kasi wala na talagang masabing maganda tungkol sa kanila,” she said.

(The way they’re campaigning now is also how they will govern once in power: full of lies, full of muckraking. They should just highlight the good that they’ve done and what they’re capable fo doing. Maybe they’re resorting to fake news because they can’t say anything good about themselves.)

She also noted that the social media influencers “surrounding” Marcos Jr. now are the same ones he had tapped in 2016.

“Hindi ako hinintuan over the last six years, pero kung meron mang lesson na nakuha ko from that, wala talagang kapalit ang paggawa ng kabutihan, walang kapalit ‘yung katotohanan…. At the end of the day, sa dulo ng lahat, kabutihan at katotohanan pa din ‘yung pipiliin ng tao,” she added.

(They attacked me nonstop over the last six years, but if there is a lesson that I learned from that, it’s that nothing can replace doing good, nothing can replace the truth…. At the end of the day, at the end of everything, the people will still choose goodness and the truth.)

Robredo also said the spate of attacks had fueled her and her team’s resolve to campaign even harder. On Tuesday, she held campaign-related events in La Union, which culminated in a packed rally at the Saint Louis College Gymnasium, Saint Louis College, in San Fernando City. From La Union, she proceeded to Catanduanes for another round of campaign activities.

‘True unity’

In her second visit to Marcos Jr.’s bailiwick, Ilocos Region, Robredo stepped foot in San Fernando City in La Union. According to Robredo’s team, around 11,000 “kakampinks” joined the campaign rally for Robredo and running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan at the Saint Louis College Gymnasium and grounds. 

The Vice President talked about “true unity” in her speech, apparently alluding to the “unity” theme of the Marcos camp which her rival candidate has yet to expound on.

“Ang tunay na pagkakaisa, nanggagaling sa pagmamahal sa bawat isa kahit iba ang paniniwala. Ang tunay na pagkakaisa, hindi po pagkakaisa ng mga interes ng mga politiko. Ang tunay na pagkakaisa, nanggagaling sa bawat isa sa atin,” the presidential candidate said during the “Elyu Pink Wave” rally. 

(True unity comes from our love for each other despite our different beliefs. True unity does not come from the unity of politicians’ interest. True unity comes from each one of us.)

La Union Doctors for Leni perform Filipino folk song, "Pamulinawen."

The doctors modify the lyrics and sing, "Pamulinawen, wala ng Solid North." pic.twitter.com/lRDCO1gMxK

— Jairo Bolledo (@jairojourno) April 12, 2022

One of the rally’s highlights was the performance of the Ilocano folk song, “Pamulinawen” by the La Union Doctors for Leni. The lyrics of the song were modified to: “Pamulinawen, wala ng Solid north (Pamulinawen, now there is no Solid North).” 

The “kakampinks” show of force in the Ilocos Region during the campaign period points to so-called “cracks” in the “Solid North.” In her campaign rally in Pangasinan last week, Robredo was welcomed by a mammoth crowd of 76,000 Pangasinenses. 

In the 2016 vice presidential race, Robredo suffered a big loss in La Union where she got only around 19,000 votes, against Marcos Jr.’s 300,000 votes. 

‘Solid Catanduanes for Leni-Kiko

After staging a rally in her opponent’s bailiwick, Robredo attended another people’s rally in Catanduanes, in her home turf Bicol.

WATCH: Drone shots of supporters of VP Leni Robredo and Sen. Kiko Pangilinan who attended their Catanduanes people's rally on Tuesday, April 12. @rapplerdotcom

📽️ VP Leni Media Bureau pic.twitter.com/ZYfvNUtdmw

— Jairo Bolledo (@jairojourno) April 13, 2022

Catanduanes Governor Joseph “Boboy” Cua and San Antonio Mayor Peter “Bosste” Cua endorsed Robredo’s candidacy. Mayor Cua, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Catanduanes, said all 11 mayors in the province backed the Leni-Kiko tandem.

“Ma’am Leni and Vice Kiko, masisiguro ‘nyo po na ang Catanduanes ay magbibigay ng overwhelming votes sa inyo,” Mayor Cua said. (Ma’am Leni and Vice Kiko, you can be sure that Catanguanes will deliver overwhelming votes for you.)

Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda, who is supporting Robredo and another vice presidential candidate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, was also at the campaign rally.

Among the highlights of her rally was the testimonial video of her fellow Bicolanos, who received aid from her office. 

Robredo also saw a supporter with a placard thanking her for the seawall that her office built in San Andres town after Typhoon Nina struck province in 2016 – a “resibo” or documentation of the projects that the Office of the Vice President in the province.

People of the province thanked Robredo for her seawall project in San Antonio town completed in 2019. In her speech, Robredo said Catanduanes, a province seldom visited by politicians, would receive more attention if she wins as president. 

The Vice President said that if elected, she would also address the perennial power outage problem not only in Catanduanes but the whole of Bicol. 

In 2016, Robredo won in the province with over 72,000 votes – another Bicolano Chiz Escudero was the second placer with over 39,000 votes. Marcos Jr. was a far third placer with over 12,000 votes. – With reports from Jairo Bolledo/Rappler.com