A Facebook page reuploaded a photo of Vice President Leni Robredo alongside diplomats, falsely stating it to be Robredo attending a state function in the Middle East.
The Oct. 4 post by Jay Sonza included the caption:
Please don't get me wrong. I am just asking, if I may. Ito ba ang tamang pananamit ng isang pinuno ng bansa sa isang state affair sa Middle East? Mose green party see-thru and laced dress at may bikining itim na panloob (Is this the correct attire for the leader of a country attending a state affair in the Middle East? Moss green party see-thru, laced dress, and a black bikini underwear)? is this the proper dress when meeting a head of state? I just wanna know since some of you questioned Mr. Duterte's wardrobe in Russia.
The photo was taken Sept. 25 last year at the celebration of the 88th National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at Shangri-La at the Fort in Taguig and posted along with several others of the same occasion on Robredo’s Facebook page.
The photo shows the vice president with Saudi Arabia Ambassador Abdullah N.A. Al Bussairy. Saudi Arabia's head of state is its king and prime minister, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, is deputy prime minister and holds other powerful positions.
Sonza, a former consultant and program presenter at Radio Mindanao Network and former station manager of television station UNTV 37, posted the claim after netizens called out President Rodrigo Duterte for being "unkempt" during his diplomatic visit in Russia in October. In the same post, Sonza criticized Robredo’s “improper” attire.
This is not the first time that Robredo's pictures at Saudi Arabia's national day celebration in the Philippines were used by critics to make it appear she was on an official to the kingdom when she was wearing the green dress. Some of the Facebook posts and photos of the vice president's attire have since been taken down.
As of writing, Sonza’s post has reached around 17,100 interactions. Sonza’s post could reach around 145,000 social media users, with traffic coming from the combined Facebook account followers he has and the reach of its accompanying Facebook page, Jay sonza. (EEM)
References
Pinoy Trending News (2018, October 1). Leni Robredo's not following dress code while on visit in Saudi Arabia draws flak on social media? Retrieved from http://pinoytrendingnews.net/leni-robredos-not-following-dress-code-while-on-visit-in-saudi-arabia-draws-flak-on-social-media/
Profile of Jose "Jay" Yumang Sonza. (2009, June 3). ABS-CBN News. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/research/06/03/09/profile-jose-jay-yumang-sonza
Saudi National Portal (n.d.) About KSA. Retrieved from https://www.saudi.gov.sa/wps/portal/snp/pages/aboutksa/1overview-content?current=true
VP Leni Robredo. (2019, Sept. 25). [2018.09.25] 88th National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [Facebook post]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH/photos/ms.c.eJw9zcENADEIA8GOTjYEMP03Fl2i8B2tZYrJBYQCnrE~_XnAGC9bxAPWDswd0J3xApzxbmMIO9BTGA2UDui~;aLYkbFA~-~-.bps.a.1816139971836996/1816140058503654/?type=3&theater