Moreno hits ‘dilaws’ for dirty tricks, says photo with Marcos Jr. from 2021 event

SURIGAO City —Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno on Monday slammed the supposed dirty tricks by the ‘yellows’ after an old photo of him and former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently resurfaced.

Moreno was asked about his picture with Marcos that came out on social media following a press conference on Sunday with two other presidential candidates where he called for the withdrawal of Vice President Leni Robredo.

“Oo, nanggaling na naman sa dilaw. Straightforward, galing na naman sa dilaw. Dilaw talaga. Madumi talaga maglaro dilaw, sobra,” Moreno said in an ambush interview.

The Aksyon Demokratiko bet stressed that the photo was of an event in February 2021.

“I’m a mayor. I’m happy that one businessman invested in the city, sa naluging restaurant. They call it Emerald Restaurant. Opening, ako ang nag cut ng ribbon,” Moreno said.

“Para may trivia ka pa ng kaonti at ‘yung mga dilawan at pinklawan pala… pero ang nangyari doon, nag cut ako ng ribbon, ako ang mayor, salamat may nag negosyo, may trabaho, tapos nag kasal ako. Kinasal ko ‘yung may ari,” he added.

The camp of Robredo said it will not be drawn into fray stemming from Moreno's claims.

"Malinaw ang direksyon ni VP Leni sa ating People's Campaign, huwag magpatalo sa emosyon, focus lang sa kampanya," lawyer Barry Gutierrez, Robredo's spokesman said.

"Kung may mga kandidatong naghahanap ng papatol sa kanila, tumingin na lang sa iba," he added.

Moreno previously called on Robredo to make the “supreme sacrifice” and join the rest of the candidates to beat Marcos in the presidential race.

He said his call stemmed from the analysis of former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzalez where individuals who do not want to vote for Robredo may choose Marcos.

“It’s only a reaction to what Secretary Norberto is saying, his analysis. And it makes sense. Sabi nga, kumbaga sa basketball, kung hindi maka shoot ‘yung player, sub muna,” he said.

Moreno also clarified that Senator Panfilo Lacson did not know about his call.

“In fairness, wala talaga. Kasi nga based ‘yun sa mga tanong ninyo and we tried to, I mean your co-workers, not literally you, but your co-workers in journalism. And the person in the table is just replying and accommodating such question,” he said.

“So wala talaga siyang plano,” he added.

In a separate interview on ANC, Aksyon Demokratiko chairman Ernest Ramel said questions brought by the media as well as the analysis of Gonzales brought about Moreno’s call for withdrawal when asked why the media should be blamed.

However, the media did not raise any questions asking Moreno to call for the withdrawal.

“Napunta doon sa pagtawag kasi nga the situation, they were asking about the vice president, and then the analysis of Secretary Gonzales, so at that moment, si Mayor Isko felt na kung kayo ‘yung tawag ng tawag sa akin to withdraw, eh bakit hindi kayo ang mag withdraw,” he said.

He said the agenda was for the presidential candidates to announce that they will not withdraw and vow to work together should one of them win.

“Kaya lang napunta na doon sa iba’t ibang tanungan. So I think ‘yung emotions and what was nangyayari in the past few weeks came into the fore,” he said.

Asked about the fact that Robredo had never personally called him to withdraw, Moreno alleged that the vice president may be, at the least, aware of this.

“Hindi naman tayo pinanganak kahapon. Alam naman natin ‘yun. Alam naman natin pare-pareho ‘yun,” he said.

Further pressed that this was only speculation, Moreno said, “no.”

“In fact, alam rin natin, umamin na rin sila… if I may borrow ‘yung sabi ng iba. Hinuhubaran ‘yung kalaban ninyo. Supposed to be, so called, kayo ‘yung disente,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association Inc. Farmers and Fisherfolks Sector recently endorsed Moreno.—With a report from Llanesca Panti/LDF, GMA News