NagaLeaks released; Leni slams ‘lies’

MANILA, Philippines - A group critical of Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday released an article online supposedly containing damaging information against her, her husband Jesse and the Liberal Party where she is one of the current leaders.

Robredo dismissed the latest attack against them through the internet, saying this was just meant to divert the people’s attention from various controversies hounding the administration.

Following a build-up on social media on the release of the supposed “truth” about the Robredos, the group called We Are Collective released yesterday afternoon the first part of a series called #NagaLeaks.

The online article titled, “Deception: The Shocking Truth behind Leni and Jesse Robredo Part 1,” claimed that jueteng thrived in Naga during the time of Jesse as mayor and that he ordered the assassination of a former ally.

The anonymous author also claimed that Jesse was connected to drug lords.

The first person narrative, which relies heavily on unnamed sources, claims “insider information” on the supposed rise to power of Robredo’s husband, who was Naga mayor from 1988 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010, and interior secretary under the Aquino administration.

Jesse died in a plane crash in August of 2012 while he was still interior secretary.

Succeeding posts will supposedly tackle the Liberal Party and the Vice President herself. 

The Office of the Vice President has yet to comment on the matter, but Robredo in a speech in Cebu criticized the spread of “misinformation” online. 

“Today, it seems that truth and accuracy are no longer relevant. We are occupying what they call a post-truth world,” she said. 

“Some of those who wish to attack my integrity and character began a campaign to spread lies... Their attacks are vicious; not even my children are immune to their assault,” she added. 

Supporters of the Vice President dismissed the article, noting the lack of proof to back up the allegations. Nevertheless it became one of the trending topics on Twitter yesterday.

“Probably these attacks aim to distract us from urgent issues we are facing today,” Robredo said in the same speech, citing Congress’ move to re-impose the death penalty, the upcoming Senate hearing on retired police officer Arthur Lascañas’ revelations about the killings under then Davao City mayor and now President Duterte, and the government’s move to get pork barrel queen Janet Napoles out of prison.

Robredo said the administration would also have to contend with other issues like extrajudicial killings, human rights violations and the bribery scandal at the Bureau of Immigration.

Robredo said her political opponents or those who would like to run in the next elections might be behind the latest “misinformation.”

“We also cannot deny that these might be political maneuverings by those who are planning to run for office,” she said.

Last January, the so-called “LeniLeaks” came out and claimed that Robredo’s staff engaged some of her supporters in an e-mail conversation regarding a plot to oust Duterte.

The Vice President has denied the rumors, saying she wants to be remembered as the second-in-command who has been supportive of the President.