A Facebook user posted an old video statement of Naga City Mayor and former vice president Leni Robredo to make it appear she is strongly criticizing the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and seeking his resignation. The video is misleading.
A reader sent the Sept. 26 FB reel through VERA Files’ Messenger Misinformation Tipline for verification. The reel alleged that Robredo had “finally [spoken] up” about the Marcos Jr. administration and called for his resignation. In the clip, Robredo said:
“Ulit-ulitin sa bawat pagkakataon ang katotohanan. Sa ilalim ng rehimeng Marcos, nagdusa ang Pilipino. Ninakawan, tinorture at pinaslang. Ginamit ang ngalan para ibaon ang bansa sa utang, at pagbabayaran ang utang na ito sa mga susunod pang henerasyon.”
(Repeat the truth at every chance. Under the Marcos regime, Filipinos suffered. [They were] robbed, tortured and murdered. [Marcos] used his name to bury the country in debt, and future generations will continue to pay off this debt).”
It has a text overlay, saying “Bumaba kana marcos…Leni Robredo nagsalita na patungkol kay Marcos!! (Step down, Marcos… Leni Robredo has finally spoken about Marcos).”
The video of Robredo is not recent and does not refer to Marcos Jr. It was an excerpt from a 2021 statement on the commemoration of the 49th anniversary of the declaration of martial law by the ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. Marcos Jr. was not yet president then.
While she was still vice president, Robredo released a video statement on Sept. 21, 2021, in which she was reminding citizens to constantly repeat the truths behind Marcos Sr.’s martial law.
The statement was released more than seven months before Marcos Jr. won the presidency against Robredo in May 2022.
The president’s father placed the country under martial law on Sept. 21, 1972. Though the exact number of torture, extrajudicial killing and enforced disappearance victims under Marcos Sr. remains unclear, rights groups and academic institutions estimate 10,000 to 90,000 victims. Various research institutions have reported over $25 billion (P1.5 trillion) in debt to foreign lenders amassed during the Marcos Sr. regime (1965–1986).
The misleading excerpt from Robredo’s 2021 statement circulated amid anti-corruption rallies last Sept. 21. The Baha sa Luneta rally in Manila and the Trillion Peso March along EDSA called for accountability from Marcos Jr. and officials under him over reports of widespread corruption in flood control and other government infrastructure projects.
Groups supporting Vice President Sara Duterte held simultaneous rallies that day, specifically calling for Marcos Jr. to resign and allow the return of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, who has been detained in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity.
As of Oct. 2, the FB reel has garnered over 12,800 reactions, 3,100 comments, 1,800 shares and 741,000 views.
