Presidential candidate and labor leader Leody De Guzman slammed on Tuesday the smear campaign against Aika Robredo, daughter of Vice President Robredo, and blamed the campaign on the camp of Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
"Kinokondena ko ang tahasang pambabastos kay [Aika Robredo] sa lumabas na pekeng iskandalosong video," said De Guzman in a tweet.
(I condemn the blatant accusations against [Aika Robredo] in the emerging fake, scandalous video.)
According to De Guzman, the tactic, which he likened to the smear campaign against Senator Leila De Lima, is a "trademark" of the politics by the Marcos and Duterte camp, even if it was made by their supporters.
"Ang ganitong klase ng paninira (na dati nang ginawa kay [Senator Leila De Lima]) at pagkalat ng pekeng impormasyon ay trademark ng bulok na pulitika ng paksyon ni Marcos Jr. at Duterte, kahit pa sabihing gawa-gawa lamang ito ng kanilang supporter," said the presidential candidate.
(This kind of defamation (that they also did against [Senator Leila De Lima] and spreading of false information is a trademark of the rotten politics of the Marcos Jr. and Duterte faction, even if they say it was made by their supporters.)
"Kalokohan ang alegasyon ni Atty. Vic Rodgriguez na nagmula ang video na ito sa kampo ni Robredo. Bakit nila gagawin ang ganitong kawalang-hiyaan sa kanilang sinusuportahan?"
(Atty. Vic Rodriguez’s allegation that the video came from Robredo’s camp is nonsense. Why would they do something shameless to someone they support?)
He then appealed to all candidates to raise the level of discourse, stressing that they should be debating how to help the country recover from a crisis on health, livelihood, climate, and rights.
"Turuan ang mga botante na tumimbang sa plataporma at track record ng mga partido't kandidato, imbes na nakatuon sila sa personalismo at sa pansariling kapakinabangan."
(Let us teach the voters to weigh in on platforms and track records of parties and candidates, instead of focusing on personal gains.)
Vice President Leni Robredo liked De Guzman's tweet condemning the campaign against Aika, while the vice-presidential daughter herself extended her gratitude to the labor leader.
"Salamat po, Sir!" she said.
(Thank you, sir!)
Aika also seemed to brush off the smear campaign made against her, as she called on supporters to "focus" on their house-to-house campaign for her mother.
"Tara na! Focus tayo," she said in a previous tweet.
(Let’s go! Let us focus!)
Robredo's camp also branded the alleged videos as a "distraction" that aims to slow down the momentum of what they dubbed as the "People's Movement" for the vice president.
They also accused the Marcos camp for being behind the smear campaign, who fired back and accused Robredo of deceiving the public.
