Mayor Sara Duterte, Hugpong ng Pagbabago chairperson, called Vice President Leni Robredo a fake in retaliation to her statement on honesty.
“Leni Robredo should avoid commenting about honesty and integrity. Her honesty has been questioned since day one of her term as Vice President. She is not called fake VP for no reason,” Duterte said in a statement.
The mayor even mentioned Robredo’s late husband, Jesse Robredo, who died in 2012, saying she has failed to imitate who has been recognized in the field of governance.
“She has tried to copy her late husband but has failed at every turn,” the mayor said.
Duterte also mentioned issues involving fraud on Robredo’s election for Vice President in 2016 against Bongbong Marcos and allegations on her marital status.
“She is facing an electoral protest for massive fraud during the 2016 elections. She has refused to answer allegations of her relationship with a married man,” Duterte said.
The mayor also maintained her previous statement that honesty should not be a campaign issue after allegations that former presidential aide Bong Go, whom the mayor endorses, used public funds for his senatorial run.
“The reason why good moral character is not a requirement to run for Vice President is because we have so many Leni Robredos in this world,” she said.
In one of her campaign rallies, Duterte said all candidates “have been telling lies.”
“That’s why honesty should not be an issue.”
“And if she insists in saying that you have to be honest to run for public office, then she must say goodbye to her dreams of becoming President,” Duterte said.
Duterte’s statement is in response to Robredo’s account that the Mayor is “insulting” voters by saying honesty should not be an issue for the campaign.
