A video is making the rounds online where Southern Leyte governor Damian Mercado said Vice President Leni Robredo brought nothing with her when she visited the region battered by Typhoon Odette last year. It needs context.
The circulating video was a 55-second clip of an interview of Mercado with radio broadcasters Anthony Taberna and Gerry Baja, hosts of the DZRH program Dos Por Dos. He said Robredo did not bring any relief packs when she came, whereas rival candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. gave cash and in-kind donations.
The short clip was first uploaded by TikTok user pholdee30 on Jan. 29. The text in the video read: “Mama Mink niyo nagbubuhat na naman ng sariling bangko (Your [Leni Robredo] is lifting her own bench again).”
The video snippet cut off the rest of the context. In the Dec. 21, 2021 Dos Por Dos interview (timestamp 51:15 to 52:05), Mercado did say Marcos donated P2 million in cash and other goods when the typhoon ravaged the region in December last year.
However, when Taberna asked if Robredo brought aid with her, Mercado said that while the vice president did not provide any cash or relief goods she promised to send these later.
Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.
