Fact check: Robredo ‘surprise’ involving communists at Marcos inauguration is fake

June 23, 2022 - 10:22 AM
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Leni Robredo in Palawan
2022 presidential bet Vice President Leni Robredo speaking to her supporters in a campaign sortie in Palawan on April 6, 2022. (Facebook/VPLeniRobredoPH)

CLAIM: A Twitter account using the name of the still-to-be launched Angat Buhay organization claimed that Vice President Leni Robredo has a surprise involving communists on the inauguration of president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The account, with username @NewGovOrgABF, claimed that the former presidential bet said the following this year:

“Tayo po ay may gagawing surpresa sa June 30, 2022. Kabilang dito ang ating butihing CPP, NPA and NDF. Sa ating mga taga suporta ina anyayahan po namin kayo na manood na lamang sa inyong tahanan sa araw ng inagurasyon ni Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”

CPP refers to the Communist Party of the Philippines while NPA refers to its armed wing, the New People’s Army. NDF, meanwhile, refers to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

In its post, the account geotagged itself as writing from the “Office of the Vice President of the Philippines.”

Angat Buhay New Gov't_Twitter
(Screengrab by Interaksyon from Twitter)

RATING: The claims of the Twitter account are false.

Facts

Robredo has repeatedly denied having supposed links to the communist party.

In April, she stressed that she does not form alliances with anyone using force to further their agenda amid red-tagging claims.

Robredo also previously denied claims that CPP founder Jose Maria Sison was her advisor. Sison himself also debunked this, saying he has “not been consulting with Barry Gutierrez,” Robredo’s spokesperson.

The vice president released a lengthier statement about the repeated red-tagging last March. Part of it reads:

‘”Yung mga talagang kilala ako, alam na hindi ako naniniwala sa dahas para solusyonan ang anumang problema. Alam na tutol ako sa sinumang pumupulot ng armas para maggiit ng sariling agenda.”

“Hindi ako makikipag-alyansa sa mga ganun or sa mga naniniwala dun. Priority ko ang magtrabaho sa mapayapang paraan para sa dignidad ng bawat tao, ang empowered and responsible exercise of freedoms, at ang fairness.” 

“Alam ‘yan ng lahat ng katrabaho ko, kasama na ang mga nasa uniformed services, na mukhang sila ang tinatarget ng mga ganitong disinformation at propaganda.” 

Robredo, moreover, has made no public remarks yet about Marcos’ inauguration.

In May, the vice president flagged the same Twitter account for using the name of her yet-to-be-launched non-government organization to spread false claims about her and the planned initiative.

“Hindi po konektado sa Office of the Vice President o kay VP Leni Robredo ang Twitter account na ‘Angat Buhay New Government’ o @NewGovOrgABF. Wala pong katotohanan ang mga lumalabas sa account na ito, na ang malinaw na layunin ay manlinlang at magpakalat ng maling impormasyon,” she wrote before.

Why it matters 

The Twitter account that is spreading false claims has 38 followers.

It is also deceiving social media users by using the logo of Robredo’s “Angat Buhay” program as a vice president.

The account has been previously flagged by Robredo supporters, who urged the public to report it to Twitter.