VP Robredo denies 'secret meeting' with Comelec chief

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday denied having a "secret meeting" with Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista in Makati City earlier this week, as purported by a video circulating online.

In a press conference, Robredo said the video was "very malicious."

"Siguro mas maigi kung may secret meeting, pinakita niya mismo na nag-usap kami, kasi wala namang ganoon," she said. "Walang ganoong secret meeting." 

The video, posted on the Facebook page Dayaang Matuwid, alleges that the meeting took place on Tuesday evening, hours after the Supreme Court ordered Robredo's camp to comment on the electoral protest filed by her closest rival, Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

It said the supposed meeting happened at the Urdaneta apartments in Makati City.

The video showed photos of Robredo arriving in the venue, then footage of her and Bautista leaving the building, apparently four minutes apart. It did not, however, show footage of an actual meeting, nor photos of the two together.

According to Robredo, she and her daughters attended a dinner party at the building with about 40 people, including Bautista, US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg, and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales.

However, their interaction was limited to merely greeting each other.

"Hindi ko maalala na nag-usap kami, nagbatian lang... Maraming tao doon sa dinner na 'yun, hindi siya secret meeting kasi pati 'yung mga anak ko nandoon. 'Yung pamangkin ko, ninang sa kasal 'yung host," she said.

Bautista echoed Robredo's response in a separate interview with GMA News Online.

"It was a social event. There were more than 30 people who were there. Walang secret meeting. In fact, I just said hello to VP, we didn't talk. Kalokohan 'yan," he said.

"Makikita mong 'yung sinasabi na secret, hindi secret at all... It was just a gathering," Bautista added. —KBK, GMA News