Leni shoots down conspiracy theories: Jesse's death was an accident

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday doused water on speculations surfacing anew about the death of her husband, former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

Robredo said she is certain that Jesse's death was due to an accident.

During Thursday's press conference, the vice president was asked for her thoughts about conspiracy theories circulating online about her husband's passing.

This includes speculations that before his death, Jesse was investigating Chief Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, former chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Pagdilao is one of the five generals President Rodrigo Duterte said were involved in the illegal drug trade in the country.

Some have linked these turn of events to the documents inside the condominium unit of the Robredos in Quezon City, where then DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno and several police officers tried to gain entry the day after the crash supposedly upon the order to place the late secretary's residence and offices under "lockdown."

Robredo said she is not privy to the details of the investigations her late husband had been leading before his plane crashed off the coast of Masbate in August 2012.

Asked if she thought Jesse's investigations will help her work now as vice president, she replied: "Ako, oo. Pero sa akin kasi, sigurado ako na 'yong nangyari sa asawa ko, aksidente."

"Alam ko na may mga iniimbestiga siyang mga issues, pero hindi ko alam kung kabahagi doon si General Pagdilao. Hindi ko rin alam kung kasama siya do'n sa mga nag-attempt na pumasok sa condominium unit namin the day after the crash," she told reporters.

"'Yung lahat ng documents na nasa bahay namin nu'ng panahon na 'yun, tinurn-over ko 'yon sa DOJ (Department of Justice). Parang 'yung sa akin lang no'n, 'di pa nga nahahanap 'yung katawan ng asawa ko, so 'yun ang nakaka-consume sa amin. Sabi ko lang no'n, I don't want to have anything to do with that. Inaasa ko sa authorities na sila ang mag-ayos no'n," she added.

Robredo noted that at the time Puno and other officials tried to enter their unit, her focus was solely on finding her husband and attending to their three daughters.

"Tinurn over ko lahat. Kung anuman 'yung nasa documents na 'yun, parang at the time, I was managing my sanity, 'di ba? I was managing my sanity," she said.

"Parang sinasabi ko, 'Wala akong pakialam diyan, basta para sa akin, 'yung pakialam ko 'yung mga anak ko maayos, 'yung katawan ng asawa ko mahanap. Bahala na kayo kung ano 'yung mga papeles na nandoon,'" she added.

The vice president also admitted she no longer followed up on the matter.

"Hindi ko na rin siya sinundan after. Parang sa akin lang, 'yung pagkawala ng asawa ko, it was something na mahirap dalhin para sa aming mag-iina na 'yung lahat ng incidentals surrounding it at the time, ayoko nang mangialam," she said. —JST, GMA News