Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 24) — The Department of Justice said they were ready to step in should Vice President Leni Robredo request their help in investigating allegations of spoiled food donations from her office.
“VP Robredo’s camp has not requested the DOJ or NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) to investigate this complaint. but we’ll be ready to help should the VP wish to pursue the matter,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Wednesday.
Guevarra added it was not necessary for Robredo to seek the help of the NBI regarding the issue, saying they asked the agency to create a system to monitor fake news.
“Today we are asking the NBI to establish a system of monitoring the spread of false information in social media, establishing the source, determining if there’s a pattern, habit, or scheme, and taking the appropriate steps to preserve evidence of wrongful behavior for possible prosecution in the future.” said Guevarra.
Robredo has not issued a statement on Guevarra’s comments.
On Tuesday, the Vice President hit back against allegations that her office distributed spoiled meals to the frontliners of the Diliman Doctors Hospital in Quezon City. She also denied that her spokesperson attempted to silence the hospital staff.
The Vice President shared a screenshot of the netizen who first posted the claim on Facebook. She also noted how the social media post started off with “Confirm if possible,” saying the netizen is trying to skirt criminal liability. She also posted the names of those who shared the questionable post.
“If there was no malice, you should have checked first before posting. You should know that posting fake news makes you criminally liable. Let us report him plus all those who reposted. Take screenshots of everything, including those who reposted because we will go after all of them,” she wrote.
The Vice President stressed, “We will no longer tolerate any of these.”
The Diliman Doctors Hospital issued a statement dismissing the allegations.
The hospital also disproved rumors that the Vice President herself showed up, and that the hospital’s president refused to meet her.
