CLAIM: In a response to question about Marawi, during Leni Robredo’s appearance at a forum sponsored by the Center for Stretegic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., she stated that her office (Office of the Vice President) “has been there during the first day of the siege,” setting up “relief operation.”
FACT: What proof do we need that Robredo’s statement was an outright lie? How could her office be there on the first day of the siege? Did she have advanced information that the siege was going to happen that day? Was her office already IN Marawi when the siege happened? How can her office set up relief operation on the first day of the siege when no one even knew if there would be casualties, injuries or citizens displaced who would need help? Whose crystal ball did OVP use?
We found this news report where Robredo “ordered’ her staff to “start” relief operations for Marawi siege victims. It was dated May 24, a day AFTER the start of the siege. But we can’t imagine that the OVP, which does not have resources or local staff to deal with situations like this, was able to set up the relief operations within hours or days. It would take weeks before it could organize the operation and gather relief goods or set up relief services.
Our verdict:
Here’s a video of Robredo’s statement:
