On Sunday, November 3, during the long All Saints’ Day break, PCOO Assistant Secretary Mon Cualoping, tagged VP Leni Robredo in a Facebook post where he attempted to insinuate a connection between the VP and a tweet of Yoly Ong regarding the Mindanao earthquakes. Since then, numerous other posts have mushroomed all over Facebook, all aimed at linking VP Leni to Ms. Ong, and attempting to make her somehow “accountable” for Ms. Ong’s tweets.

The VP already replied via direct message to ASec Cualoping stating that 1) Ms. Ong has never been employed at the OVP; 2) The VP is “totally not in favor” of the indicated post on the Mindanao earthquake; and 3) This is not the time for politicking but for unity in the face of a national tragedy. ASec Cualoping until now has not given any response to the Vice President.

She replied directly to ASec Cualoping, and not in a public post, precisely because she did not want the tragedy that has affected so many of our fellow Filipinos to be further politicized. It is apparent, however, that some quarters are determined to use this to attack VP Leni, even as the OVP is engaged in efforts to provide assistance to those displaced by the earthquakes.

We hope this will settle this issue, so that we can put to rest, even if only for a moment, the seemingly endless political mudslinging, and focus on what is truly important about this issue: That we must come together and help our brothers and sisters in Mindanao who need our support in this time of tragedy.