Tacloban mayor-elect apologizes for daughter’s anti-Leni tweet

TACLOBAN CITY, May 12 (PNA) –- Tensions rise high in the passionately and hotly contested vice-presidential race between Sen. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Camarines Sur Rep. Maria Leonor Robredo that supporters bashed the candidates.

One such basher whose Twitter post went viral was that of Marcos’ niece Sofia Romualdez, 16, daughter of Tacloban City Mayor-elect Cristina Romualdez and husband incumbent Mayor Alfred Romualdez.

She posted that Robredo is "dumb" and knows nothing in questioning why Robredo was way ahead of her uncle.

In the recent counting, Robredo was ahead by more than 200,000 votes. After five hours when the kid posted her tweet, her mother immediately apologized to the public on her Facebook page.

On her FB post on Wednesday, May 11, the newly-proclaimed mayor of Tacloban City said, "I apologize for such words she tweeted about Leni. As a mother and most especially a Christian, I do not approve such words." Cristina said that her daughter is "apologetic and is learning."

"Sofia is just 16 so I believe she didn't realize what she was doing."

Following her Twitter post, Sofia also apologized and explained why she posted the anti-Leni tweet: "What I said about Leni was out of frustration and anger. I'm human and I make mistakes too, I'm sorry if I offended anyone." Her Twitter account has since been deactivated.

Meanwhile, Cristina said on her FB post that Leni "does not deserve such words." She also pleaded to the public to accept her daughter's apology.

"Sofia already apologized so I hope we all forgive and love her she is still very young," Cristina wrote on her FB post. "My kids went through a lot during the disaster and witnessed everything that happened. Thank you for understanding." (PNA)
JMC/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ/EGR