Panelo apologizes to Leni Robredo for opinion based on false info

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Wednesday said he had apologized to Vice President Leni Robredo after he falsely accused her of using a government plane for her recent trip to typhoon-hit Bicol.

Panelo said he issued the apology after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was able to verify with the Philippine Air Force (PAF) that Robredo did not board a C-130 aircraft when she traveled to Catanduanes on November 3.

Instead, the PAF reported that an Air Force helicopter left Legazpi City for Catanduanes on November 3 carrying relief goods that were prepared by Robredo’s office.

“That is precisely why immediately after learning that, I have a show [on dzRJ], I immediately expressed my apology to her for expressing an opinion relative to an information which happened to be inaccurate,” Panelo told ANC.

The former Palace spokesperson said the basis for his initial statement against Robredo was an exchange of text messages between Lorenzana and former Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Arnel Casanova that was forwarded to him.

“Secretary Lorenzana was telling Mr. Casanova that she went to Catanduanes riding in an aircraft, C-130. That’s why I made an adverse comment on that,” Panelo said. “The information did not come from me. I was only reacting to that information.”

Lorenzana has also apologized to Robredo, who slammed Panelo for “peddling fake news.”

“I am not apologizing for distributing or peddling false info because I was only expressing a reaction on the basis of that [info] which I thought was correct, but it turns out now it’s only half correct,” Panelo said. -NB, GMA News