Robredo backers in N. Samar say no money offered in motorcade; dzRH exec apologizes

Supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo in Northern Samar on Monday decried a radio report that they had been offered money to join a motorcade for Robredo over the weekend.

In a tweet, Robredo's spokesperson Barry Gutierrez posted a statement by the Northern Samar chapter of the Leni For President Movement on a dzRH news segment.

The report said supporters had been offered cash  to join the motorcade and that the participants were complaining that the organizers had instead pocketed the money. 

The report added that the supporters had denied the allegation.

"As support for VP Leni grows, we know that the hired trolls of other candidates will work overtime to spread lies and fake news," Gutierrez said.

Cesar Chavez, dzRH station manager and Manila Broadcasting Corp. vice president, apologized to the vice president and her supporters in the province.

He said the report on the promise of cash to Robredo volunteers was wrong.

"Mali ang report ng DZRH, paumanhin po VP Leni at sa iyong mga supporter sa Northern Samar," Chavez said in a statement posted on Twitter.

Chavez said his investigation showed that the radio reporter had no direct quote from any one as regards the promise of money and organizers helping themselves to the cash. 

"Ibig sabihin, mismong ang reporter namin ay walang nakausap kahit isang nilalang sa Northern Samar na nagsabi na may naganap na bayaran o mayroong hindi nabayaran sa event na iyon," Chavez said.

Chavez said the reporter has been suspended pending further investigation into the matter.

"We, the organizers and volunteers of the Caravan for Vice President Leni Robredo held last October 30, 2021 in the Province of Northern Samar condemn in the strongest term the news that was aired in all DZRH platforms on the alleged 'bayaran' and 'pagbubulsa ng pondo ng mga organizers' relative to the said event," the Northern Samar group's statement read in part.

"We are categorically denying that participants to the motorcade or caravan have been paid and that there is a fund or 'pondo' for the said activity," it added.

"No one was paid and no one participated because there was payment promised or given. There was no funding for the said activity either. The caravan was purely voluntary," the group said in all caps.

Calling the report "malicious and irresponsible," the group said, "No one from our group had been asked as to our side on the allegations. No source, more so a reliable one, was cited."

The group also said there were no funds given by the Office of the Vice President or groups associated directly with Robredo for the event. — BM/NB, GMA News