Supporters of Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo have filed graft and administrative complaints against a ranking Malacañang official for alleged red-tagging and maligning her character.
Cited in the charges was Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ElCAC).
The complaints were filed at the Office of the Ombudsman with a request to place the respondent under preventive suspension.
The complainants consisted of human rights activists, teachers, youth leaders, and concerned citizens represented by lawyers Antonio La Viña and Rico Domingo .
Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino accused Badoy of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 6713, also called the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees.
“By utilizing the infrastructure of state media for purposes of influencing the minds of voters vis-a-vis the May 9, 2022 elections, Undersecretary Badoy has besmirched the reputation of her fellow public servant in the process,” the complaint stated.
“We are collectively shocked at such behavior, which we believe is unbecoming of Undersecretary Badoy’s office… we believe that she should be disciplined for such breach of the public’s trust,” it added. Rio N. Araja
The complaints stemmed from Badoy’s alleged false accusations against Robredo, issued on March 14, saying the Vice President was conspiring with the Communist Party of the Philippines, citing as proof over the endorsement of the Makabayan bloc for Robredo’s presidential bid.
“To defame and intimidate a fellow public official, much more ordinary citizens, is not appropriate to the position of Undersecretary Badoy,” the group said.
“There must be no room for the state media to initiate the spread of fake news,” the complaint signed by activist teachers Vladimer Quetua and Ophelia Tabacon stated.