Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo is soliciting the help of members of the Catholic clergy to help fight “lies” that she described as a “new form of vote-buying.”
In a meeting with Catholic priests and lay leaders in San Jose, Nueva Ecija, on Tuesday, Robredo said disinformation is the new form of vote-buying.
She noted that disinformation is being used “to corrupt or to influence the hearts and the minds of our people.”
“Parang vote buying na po ito,” said the vice president, adding that if lies will propel a candidate to office, it will encourage others to copy the “scary” way of acquiring a mandate.
“Pag nanalo kasi ang kandidato na ginagamit ‘yung disinformation, nagsi-set tayo ng isang formula ng pananalo, and it is scary,” said Robredo.
She framed her campaign as a “battle for the next generation” in which the country’s future and the values of the people are at stake.
“Klaro kasi ‘yung battle lines ngayon,” she said. “‘Yung pinaglalabanan po ngayon will set the direction of a country for the next six years. Maraming mga bagay na at stake.”
“Paniniwala ko po, ito ‘yung fight ng ating generation,” said the vice president.
Robredo, however, expressed “faith and goodness in every Filipino … to choose right over wrong.” She said there are more people “banding together in fighting fake news.”
