Panelo sorry for 'opinion' based on 'inaccurate' information about Robredo relief operations

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/11/18/20201117-robredo-leni-ulysses-aid-quezon-ovp-200.jpg"/><figcaption>Vice President Leni Robredo visits Polillo Island in Quezon Province on Nov. 17, 2020, as part of her office&#x27;s ongoing relief efforts for areas devastated by Typhoon Ulysses. <em>OVP</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s legal counsel on Wednesday said he had apologized to Vice President Leni Robredo for claiming that she was free-riding on the government&#x27;s relief effort for survivors of typhoon Ulysses. </p><p>Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo told ANC that he got the wrong information that Robredo used a government C-130 plane to deliver relief aid to typhoon-hit Catanduanes from a series of text messages between 2 other officials </p><p>&quot;Sumabay ka doon sa mga relief goods. O, &#x27;di parang ikaw ang may dala noon,&quot; he earlier alleged in his talk show aired on state-owned People’s Television network.</p><p>(You went with the relief goods, and made it appear they were yours.)</p><p>&quot;Immediately after&quot; learning his mistake, Panelo said he went on separate radio show and &quot;immediately expressed my apology to her for expressing an opinion relative to an information which happened to be inaccurate.&quot; </p><p>Panelo said he also sent a text message to Robredo to say sorry. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DqdaRqBWTIo?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Robredo earlier Wednesday said she &quot;never used a C-130 plane&quot; of the government. <br/> <br/>&quot;Ang dami naming ginagawa sa opisina na hindi naman ako sa kanila humihingi ng tulong,&quot; she said in a chance interview. </p><p>(My office is doing so many things for which I don&#x27;t ask their help.)</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I just called out Sec Panelo for peddling fake news. I am also calling out whoever peddled the fake news to the President, kaya ganito siya ka pikon. I never said “Where is the President”? You can review all my tweets.</p>— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) <a href="https://twitter.com/lenirobredo/status/1328723839354716160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2020</a></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>&quot;Ang mga sunod-sunod na nangyayari nagpapakita na iyong peddlers of fake news nasa paligid mismo ni Presidente... Kaya sa akin, iyong pakiusap ko lang: ang dami nang peddlers of fake news sa atin; huwag na nilang dagdagan,&quot; she added. </p><p>(Recent incidents show that peddlers of fake news surround the President. My request is there are already so many peddlers of fake news, let us not add to them.)</p><p>However, Panelo said he was &quot;not apologizing for distributing or peddling a false info.&quot; He added that he was &quot;not apologizing for criticizing her demeanor that every time she goes out distributing relief goods, and castigating the government for not doing anything.&quot;</p><p>Pressed to give a direct quote of Robedo criticizing the government for inaction in the typhoon, Panelo said &quot;I don’t remember all exact words, all you have to do is go back to her first statement and tweets.&quot; </p><p>The public can scan through Robredo&#x27;s <a href="https://twitter.com/lenirobredo">Twitter page</a> here. </p><p>Robredo said Wednesday she never asked where the President was when social media users hit his absence from public eye during the onslaught of typhoons Rolly and Ulysses. </p><p>She said bringing relief to typhoon survivors was also not a contest. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/18/20/balat-sibuyas-robredo-says-duterte-should-not-be-sensitive-to-criticism">&#x27;Balat-sibuyas&#x27;: Robredo says Duterte should not be sensitive to criticism</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/18/20/duterte-misinformed-spox-says-not-sure-insists-robredo-asked-nasaanangpangulo">Duterte misinformed? Spox says &#x27;not sure,&#x27; insists Robredo asked #NasaanAngPangulo</a></li></ul>

<p>President Rodrigo Duterte's legal counsel on Wednesday said he had apologized to Vice President Leni Robredo for claiming that she was free-riding on the government's relief effort for survivors of typhoon Ulysses. </p>

President Rodrigo Duterte's legal counsel on Wednesday said he had apologized to Vice President Leni Robredo for claiming that she was free-riding on the government's relief effort for survivors of typhoon Ulysses.

Panelo sorry for 'opinion' based on 'inaccurate' information about Robredo relief operations | ABS-CBN

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Panelo sorry for 'opinion' based on 'inaccurate' information about Robredo relief operations

Panelo sorry for 'opinion' based on 'inaccurate' information about Robredo relief operations

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 18, 2020 03:44 PM PHT

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