Criticisms against Duterte politically motivated, Palace says

PRESIDENTIAL Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Monday, September 6, 2021, said the criticisms thrown at the administration, particularly President Rodrigo Duterte, are politically motivated.

“Isang buwan nalang po halos filing na ng certificate of candidacy, politika (political season) na po ngayon. Pilipinas, 'wag nyo naman isipin na ang mga pangyayari ay hindi kaugnay sa parating na politika natin,” he said during a televised press briefing.

“Tama naman po kasi bagamat panahon pa ng pandemya eh hindi pa naman nililipat ang petsa ng eleksyon, ang sinasabi ko lang po kinakailangan po mas maigting ang gamit ng utak pag kayo po ay nakakarinig ng mga paratang at pakinggan din naman ang sinasabi ng gobyerno. Politika na po ngayon kailangan mas maingat at mas matalino sa paga-analyze ng mga naririnig,” he added.

Roque issued the comment after Vice President Leni Robredo criticized the administration's response to the concerns of the healthcare workers and the allegedly weak conduct of contact tracing and Covid-19 testing to prevent the spread of the virus.

Citing the continuous increase of Covid-19 cases despite the implementation of lockdowns, she said she wanted to ask the government to give her a blanket authority to lead the Covid-19 pandemic response.

She said the government should use its budget appropriately to fund the priorities amid the pandemic such as the healthcare workers, mass testing and contact tracing as well as for the procurement of medical supplies necessary for the patients.

“Sabihin nalang natin na ang mga sinasabi ni VP Leni you need to consider in connection with her ongoing advertisement, politika lang po talaga, to compliment her paid advertisement for whatever position she will run kasama na po diyan ang sinasabi niya sa gobyerno,” said Roque.

Roque said that even the World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe attested to the administration’s Covid-19 response when he said in February 1, 2021 that the Philippines “have a very good comprehensive plan” and that the country was “prepared and used the lockdown wisely to deal with the pandemic” especially in preventing large number of Covid related deaths.

Meanwhile,On Monday morning, September 6, 2021, Manila City Mayor Francisco Domagoso “advised” the government to purchase medicines being used to manage Covid-19 patients such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab instead of face shields.

Rooque said Domagoso's remark was also politically motivated.

“Kandidato rin po yan hindi pa nagaanunsyo yan pero sigurado po ako kandidato kaya asahan natin ang mga ganitong salita dahil kailangan nilang ligawan ang mga mamamayan,” he said.

Roque noted that the scarcity of the said medicines was due to the “world supply problem” and not because the government is not buying.

He said the government is currently procuring baricitinib as an alternative to tocilizumab.

The government has been hounded by controversies on the alleged procurement of overpriced face shields and face masks in 2020. (SunStar Philippines)