(UPDATE) Presidential candidate Leni Robredo said Tuesday she wasn't surprised that fake news against her eldest daughter Aika was spreading online as it was her opponent's tactic since she won the vice presidency in 2016.
The Robredos are prepared for these attacks and their lawyers will take legal action against those spreading disinformation, the vice president told reporters.
The eldest of Robredo's three daughters, Aika earlier rallied supporters to focus on their campaign, indirectly addressing the attack.
"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'. Hindi ako nababawasan noon kasi lahat hindi totoo. Ang tingin ko, nababawasan noon 'yung mga napapapaniwala n'ya sa kanya," Robredo told reporters in La Union.
Robredo recalled how, during the 2016 campaign period, she was largely ignored by her rivals. Disinformation against her started when her numbers started to pick up, she said.
According to Tsek.PH, Robredo is the biggest victim of disinformation on social media in 2022, with her chief rival and survey frontrunner Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as the top beneficiary.
"Nakikita naman natin 'yung mga nakapaligid sa kanya, ito din 'yung mga ginagamit niyang mga influencers hanggang ngayon. Hindi ako hinintuan over the last six years," she said without naming anyone in particular.
The latest attack on her family reflects the kind of leadership Filipinos will endure should her rival win in the May 9 elections, Robredo said.
"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."
Following Robredo's remarks, Vic Rodriguez, Marcos' spokesperson, clapped back and told her: "Enough of your deceptions."
"Presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos has based his campaign solely on his call for unity anchored on the strengths and merits of his vision and platform for the future of our country, especially the youth that has resonated throughout the land and we shall keep it that way until the very end," he added.
Based on over 200 erroneous claims curated for the month of January, Robredo emerged as the favorite target of erroneous claims containing negative messaging, Tsek.PH said.
Marcos, on the other hand, is also favorite subject of false claims, though his are "largely positive or in his favor seeking to promote him," it added. --- with report from Erwin Colcol
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