AT least four members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet blamed the media for the continuing flak it was receiving from critics as they separately defended the administration’s “war” against the drug menace.
On Tuesday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia partly blamed media for the negative perception received by the Duterte administration among members of the business community in regard to the anti-illegal drug campaign.
He said the media should also interview people regarding the crime rate status which “has gone down substantially because of this fight against the drug menace” to ease fears among foreigners.
Pernia, replying to questions, said: “We should also try to get the view of others who approve of what’s happening and see it as…maybe a necessary evil that has to happen in pursuit of (a) greater good.
“You know, I think foreigners have to be informed that if they come here and they behave, they don’t do any misdeed, then they’re safe.”
Pernia said Communications Secretary Martin Andanar and Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella are “doing necessary efforts” to reverse the so-called “negative image” the country has because of the administration’s drug war to “make the country more attractive.”
From another department, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay blamed the media’s persistent questioning of the President in Sunday’s small hours, even if Duterte is known to be at his ‘peak’ at midnight as he tried to clarify the President’s strongly worded statements over his threat to pull the Philippines out of the United Nations.
“I know the President is aware the statement he must make must always be well thought of. In this particular instance, if i look at the context under which he made the statement: one, it was done in the wee hours of the morning and also he is very tired,” Yasay, replying to questions, said.
He said the news conference had ended but newsmen were still needling him “with a lot of questions; it in this context that he made this statement. And when you are especially tired, disappointed and frustrated and angry under these circumstances, we must give him a leeway…like us, he is only human.”
Andanar, meanwhile, justified the President’s womanizing ways as he scored the press for failing to give context that the President is a single man and, therefore, he is allowed to take someone as a partner.
“I think the media also failed to explain that kung anuman iyong mga naging relasyon ng ating Presidente (whatever relations the President entered into), the President is a single man; and whoever is his partner is also single,” Andanar said.
This followed criticisms over social media directed at the President for calling Senator Leila de Lima as an “immoral” woman.
“The President is saying this Ronnie [Dayan] is married…therefore, it’s illegal, it’s a criminal act. So, I’m laying the basis of the argument and connecting Ronnie to drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison,” Andanar said.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on Tuesday scored Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for criticizing media outfits over the “kill lists” that they publish, condemning the lawmaker for making “groundless accusations against the media.”
“Cayetano protested too much when he insinuated that media have been blowing up the rash of killings that have accompanied the Duterte administration’s war on drugs,” NUJP Chairman Ryan Rosauro said in a statement.
Rosauro said Cayetano made “irresponsble claims” the media were among those being bought with drug money to discredit the administration.
“Such allegations, without any proof, not only serve to unjustly cast a pall of suspicion over the Philippine media and, in particular, the journalists who toil on the front lines but, much worse, put lives in danger,” Rosauro said
In comments during a Senate inquiry into drug-related killings, Cayetano scored the media for coming up with “kill lists,” adding the media only highlighted the number of drug-related killings and tagged these as “extrajudicial killings” but failed to observe the positive effects of the administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Rosauro said Cayetano’s allegations against the media “have been dispelled by no less than PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa who presented statistics during the Senate hearing Monday.
According to the PNP chief, the number of killings since July 1 had reached 1,779 — 712 in police operations and 1,067 outside of police operations, including possible vigilante killings.
