Palace explains SWS survey results

Malacañang said that the 49 percent of Filipinos who expressed belief based on the latest Social Weather. Station (SWS) Survey that Vice President Leni Robredo’s removal from the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) is an “admission” by the Duterte administration that the drug war is failing, were those who were made to believe about the lies peddled by critics against the Duterte administration.

“Maybe the four who were made to believe in the incessant, unrelenting attacks as a — says correctly against the drug war of the President,” said Chief presidential Legal Counsel and Spokesman Salvador Panelo.

“But as I pointed out earlier, this is contradicted by the people’s satisfaction of how he’s handling the drug war,” he added.

The Fourth Quarter 2019 Social Weather Survey was conducted from 13-16 December 2019, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults 18 years old and above.

On the results showing that at least 44 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with Vice President Robredo’s performance as co-chair of the ICAD, Panelo said her rating was due to the popularity of the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs.

When asked if looking back, Malacañang made the right decision to appoint Robredo as ICAD co-chair, Panelo said he is still unclear whether the President considers his appointment of her as a colossal blunder.

“I do not know whether or not, when the President describe her as a colossal blunder, he was referring to her appointment as co-chair or as a public official having elected to the second highest post in the land. I will ask him exactly if he considers appointing her as a blunder,” Panelo said.