Leni: Trolls divided country into DDS, Dilawan

Hired trolls divided the country into DDS who support President Rodrigo Duterte and Dilawan who back the opposition identified with Vice President Leni Robredo, the second highest elected official said on Wednesday.

On "The Mangahas Interviews", Robredo said social media trolls had been engaged but didn't say by who. She said troll activity affected what she called an "opportunity to unite.' 

"Hindi mawawala iyong alitan, pero hindi sa level na masyado polarized. Kung dilawan ka, kung DDS ka, dapat sana hindi ganun. Dapat ang pinag-aawayan iyong issues," Robredo told journalist Malou Mangahas.

"'Yung opportunity to unite, hindi nangyari. 'Yung pag hire ng mga trolls, iyon 'yung divisive na ginawa nila. Dapat sana hindi ito hinayaan kasi ito iyong nag-divide sa atin," she added.

Robredo said the camp of former Senator Bongbong Marcos, Jr. of hiring trolls or peddlers of lies online to destroy her person.

Marcos was the defeated vice presidential candidate who filed an election protest against Robredo. The protest was recently junked by the Supreme Court.

"Iyong kapital, fake information. Halimbawa, si BBM (Bongbong Marcos). Talagang ramdam na ramdam namin na merong talagang mga bayaran na walang ibang gagawin kundi siraan lang ako,” Robredo said.

“May devoted army talaga sila para manira, at fake news talaga ang ginagamit,” she added.

Robredo said this is easy to do, considering that an individual could make multiple accounts and go by anonymously in making social media posts.

She admitted that she had no evidence on who was funding the black propaganda against her.

“Kung saan man nila kinuha ang pondo, wala naman kaming ebidensiya. Maraming nagse-speculate na public funds ‘yun, pero wala naman tayong ebidensiya [kung saan galing] kaya mahirap mag speculate,” Robredo said.

She said that politicians’ communication teams should rather report on initiatives which benefit the people, rather than attacking others.

“Hindi okay na mag hire ka ng tao para manira,” Robredo said. -Llanesca T. Panti/NB, GMA News