Vice President Leni Robredo has been the subject of several false accusations for the past week due to her visibility in quick relief and rehabilitations efforts to typhoon-hit provinces. One of these false claims stated that she used a government C-130 plane to reach Catanduanes for these post-typhoon relief operations.
This was quickly refuted by Robredo, even providing proof that no such thing happened.
Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has since apologized for accusing Robredo of “free-riding.” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana clarified that a Philippine Air Force helicopter merely transported relief goods collected by the Vice President’s office from Legazpi City, Albay to the island province of Catanduanes.
However, if the vice president were to request access to government plane for typhoon efforts, the Armed Forces of the Philippines clarified that they would have no issue with it..
“The Vice President using naval, land or air assets, wala naman po tayong problema doon,” AFP spokesperson Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a briefing on Wednesday, November 18.
[The Vice President using naval, land or air assets, we have no problem with that. We can help her.]
“Wala pong issue diyan in so far as the Armed Forces of the Philippines is concerned… Kailangan meron silang proper coordination or information ahead of time sa atin,” he added.
[There’s no issue in so far as the Armed Forces of the Philippines is concerned. They just need to have proper coordination of inform us ahead of time.]
Arevalo further explained that military aircraft can be used for “specific flights that we do outside of purely military purpose if it is related to or in pursuit of AFP mission.”
“Flight missions for the use of government officials in pursuit of their office and functions may be allowed.”
