MANILA – The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Tuesday denied the claims of Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo saying Vice President Leni Robredo used a government plane during her relief operations to the typhoon victims in Bicol region.
READ: VP spokesperson Barry Gutierrez denies Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo’s claim that Vice Pres. Leni Robredo used a government plane during her relief operations to the typhoon victims in Bicol. | @BomboRadyoNews pic.twitter.com/o5SSuhRAuD
— Christian Yosores (@chrisyosores) November 17, 2020
“Secretary Panelo should get his facts straight. VP Leni did not use a government C130 plane when she brought aid to Bicol,” OVP spokesperson Atty. Barry Gutierrez said in a statement.
According to Gutierrez, he is saddened that a government official would still throw wrong accusations amidst the suffering of typhoon victims.
“Nakakalungkot lang, tumutulong si VP Leni sa mga tinamaan ng bagyo at baha, at imbes na suporta, paninira at kasinungalingan ang binabato. Ano ba ang mga ito, lingkod bayan o troll?”
In a video posted by the PCOO Global Media Affairs in Facebook on Monday, Panelo allegedly pointed Robredo taking advantage of the government efforts in Catanduanes.
“Ikaw pala VP Leni nung pumunta ka ng Catanduanes akala ko nagpunta ka on your own, eh sumakay ka naman pala sa eroplano ng pamahalaan at sumabay ka doon sa relief goods,” Panelo said.
“Parang ang dating tuloy ikaw may dala noon,” the former Presidential spokesperson added.
On November 1, Super Typhoon “Rolly” made landfall in Catanduanes causing massive infrastructure damage and power blackout. It also affected the neighboring provinces of Albay and Camarines Sur.
Robredo was one of the first to visit and give relief assistance to the region when she arrived in Camarines Sur. This was followed by an aerial inspection and on the ground visit of President Rodrigo Duterte in Albay.