Palace asks public: Trust, help Rody

Malacañang is urging Filipinos to continue putting their trust in President Duterte amid criticisms against his bloody anti-drug campaign and his profanity-laced attacks against some world leaders, particularly during the weeklong working visits in Laos and Indonesia.

“To our countrymen, don’t be worried, let’s help him, let’s trust our President for all that he wants for our country because he only wants the best,” Presidential Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag said over the state-run Radyo ng Bayan. Duterte returns to the country today after attending the Sept. 6 to 8 ASEAN summit in Laos, and a two-day working visit in Jakarta. “He is so loved in Davao. And I’m sure in time – for those who still doubt his sincerity – I’m sure you would realize that somehow he knows he is trying to direct us to where he wants us to go,” Banaag said as she also defended the President from criticism that he had blown his chance for a one-on-one meeting with US President Barack Obama because of his gutter language. Banaag also assured the public that the President is on top of the situation amid concerns over his declaration of a state of national emergency on the account of lawless violence. She also gave some words of encouragement to police and soldiers, many of whom were being scored for abuses in the conduct of anti-drug operations. “Stay strong,” she said. Banaag also welcomed reports that the Indonesian police have shown interest in taking some pointers from the Duterte administration’s anti-drug strategy. She said every Filipino household would want to live in a safer environment, hence Duterte’s determination to stamp out criminality. In an earlier statement, the Palace said Indonesia’s anti-narcotics chief Budi Waseso had expressed interest in copying Duterte’s tack in fighting illegal drugs. The Palace quoted Waseso as saying in a press conference that the drug problem in Indonesia is no different from the Philippines. “The life of a dealer is meaningless because (he) carries out mass murder. How can we respect that?” Waseso said. Meanwhile, Vice President Leni Robredo said she hopes President Duterte’s reported insult of US President Barack Obama would not affect the relations between the US and the Philippines. “I was reading the interviews and statement of President Obama. He seems to have set aside those things (and said) that it will not affect the long-term relations of the Philippines and the US,” Robredo said in Naga City yesterday. – Cristina Mendez, with Janvic Mateo