March 27, 2017 – Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella’s Statements

 
27 March 2017
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella’s birthday wish for President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
 
I wish that his dreams for a great Filipino nation all come true.
From Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella On Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Phelim Kine’s remarks that PRRD has “finally acknowledged” that the war on drugs is “a war on the poor” and exposes the chief executive’s “contempt for lives”
 
The war on drugs is not targeted at any particular segment of society. However, the most prevalent drug in the Philippines is shabu, dubbed as poor man’s cocaine.

The supply, largely from outside the Philippines, is in great demand from users and distributors both coming from poor families.

Poverty, however, does not justify the use and selling of shabu. As the President said, he has to clean up the streets of drug users, pushers and dealers, regardless of their socioeconomic status in life.
Nothing can be farther from the truth than the HRW accusation that President Duterte has “contempt for lives.” In fact, eight out of ten Filipinos living in Metro Manila now feel safer and more secure under his administration.

HRW and similar other organizations should therefore be more circumspect about meddling in the country’s domestic affairs. Their lack of appreciation of the context and local reality show a deep insensitivity to other cultures.
From Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella on the New York Times video
In a span of one week, NYT has published a news feature, “Becoming Duterte: The Making of a Philippine Strongman,” narrating the rise to power of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte under the context of violence; wrote an editorial, “Accountability for Duterte,” with jailed mutineer Gary Alejano and Jude Sabio, lawyer of self-confessed assassin Edgar Matobato mouthing unsubstantiated claims; and now, produced a video documentary, “When A President Says, “I’ll Kill You,” zeroing in on the vigilante deaths that occurred under the present administration.

NYT’s very obvious demolition work flies in the face of the very high approval of PPRD enjoys . The newspaper tries to stir global outrage in a nation that welcomes its newfound peace and order.
One can only conclude that certain personalities and politicians have mounted a well funded campaign utilizing hack writers and their ilk in their bid to oust PRRD.

However, the Administration will not be deterred in fulfilling its promise of building a progressive and inclusive nation free from drugs, crimes and corruption.

From Presidential Spokesperson Ernie Abella On Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Phelim Kine’s remarks that PRRD has “finally acknowledged” that the war on drugs is “a war on the poor” and exposes the chief executive’s “contempt for lives”