Give Duterte enough credit, Palace appeals

Malacañang on Saturday appealed to the public to give President Duterte enough credit as what he is doing is always for the country and its people.

It made the appeal in the wake of a New York Times editorial, saying Duterte is partly to blame for the ongoing armed conflict in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur.

Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said Duterte is doing everything he can to solve the problems in the country, particularly the peace problem in Mindanao sparked by rebel groups.

“First and foremost, he was willing to talk. He was quite open, he was asking them na huwag nang manggulo (to not cause trouble),” Abella said during the Mindanao Hour press briefing over Radyo ng Bayan.

“Pero noong patuloy ‘yung mga actuations nila, ay, he said ng ganon, ‘hindi na ako makikipag-usap’ (But when the rebels continued with their actions against the government forces, he had enough),” he added.

Abella said Duterte always puts the Filipinos first before anything else and would not compromise the country’s safety and welfare.

“So let us give the President enough credit. Hindi siya basta nakikipag-away lang (He doesn’t start a fight just because he wants to),” Abella said.

“Sa totoo lang po, ang Presidente natin ay maka-Pilipino at lagi po niyang interes ang safety, lalo ng Christians and Muslims alike.

“It is always the public safety, it is always the public interest,” he concluded.

Based on the editorial published by the New York Times (NYT) on June 15, the Islamic State (ISIS) slowly crept its way in Mindanao while Duterte was busy “bragging about his brutal war on drugs.”

NYT cited Duterte’s statement in December last year, wherein he dared the Maute to “go ahead, do it” when the ISIS-inspired group said they will “go down upon Marawi to burn the place.”

It also added that Duterte’s strongman tactics and threat to expand the coverage of martial law to the whole country “will not address the fundamental problems that have fueled militant movements on Mindanao.”

“The most urgent need now is to ratchet down the fight in Marawi and press Mr. Duterte to restart negotiations with militant groups,” NYT said.