A local airline pilot alleged on Facebook (FB) that Vice President Leni Robredo asked for priority landing, causing the diversion of their flight to another airport. It is a false claim.
The allegation, which came out on May 16, said their plane that was scheduled to land at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport was re-routed after Robredo supposedly requested priority landing during peak travel hours, which inconvenienced hundreds of passengers. This was supposed to have taken place last month.
The post has since been taken down. However, several FB posts carrying the screenshot of the allegation continue to circulate online.
In a May 17 press statement, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) “categorically denies the false story” and said the “malicious” claim never happened at all.
“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,” the OVP said.
It added Robredo, who continues to be the target of disinformation in social media, has reiterated the need for an intensified campaign against the spread of disinformation while pushing to promote “truthful public discourse.”
Cebu Pacific Air, in a May 17 statement on their official FB page, made clear their pilot, who made the erroneous claim, admitted the allegation has “no basis” and was “purely speculative” on his part. The airline employee is currently under disciplinary review in accordance with the rules and standards of the company.
Read the full story on VERA Files Fact Check.
