OVP: Pilot's tale about priority landing for Robredo is a lie
MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo did not priority landing at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last month as a pilot claimed on social media and has never asked for it since she was elected in 2016, her office said Tuesday.
Cebu Pacific, in a statement on Tuesday, also said that the pilot who made the now deleted claim has acknowledged that he "had no basis for his claim and was (being) purely speculative and careless" when he made the claim.
In its statement, the Office of the Vice President categorically denied the claim made by the pilot, who also vlogs on YouTube, and called it a "false story."
"This never happened and is a malicious fabrication. During her entire tenure as Vice President, VP Leni has never asked to be prioritized for taking off or landing when traveling by air. Any claim to the contrary is a lie," OVP also said.
FROM INTERAKSYON: Fact check: Cebu Pacific pilot’s viral claim vs Leni Robredo
According fact-checking initiative Tsek.PH, Robredo was the target of most pieces of disinformaton and misinformation that it had fact-checked. "Every week, she is the biggest victim of disinformation or negative messaging," UP Journalism professor Yvonne Chua told a Senate panel in early 2021.
"It is alarming that almost a week after the elections, the disinformation and fake news being spread on social media against VP Leni continue unabated," the OVP said Tuesday.
"Lying, unfortunately, has become a full-blown industry on social media. VP Leni reiterates her commitment to take firm steps against disinformation and promote truthful public discourse," her office also said.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines told Philstar.com Tuesday that President Rodrigo Duterte suspended the privilege of priority landings for heads of state in 2016.
"They can stop any flights if they want to," CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio said.
"For vice president and other heads of states, they also have priority, but that is upon request of the air operator," he said, adding that while priority landings were no longer protocol, heads of state were still given "priority."
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III in a tweet on Monday night that the president, vice president and the Senate president have the privilege of priority landings. He did not say if that privilege has been enjoyed under the Duterte administration.
"As far as what the pilot said in his social media post, we cannot confirm nor deny anything because we will have to check if there was air traffic during that time," Apolonio said.
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