Palace dares critics: Look for other anti-Duterte issues

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday challenged critics of President Duterte to look for other issues they can use against him after his satisfaction rating improved in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the poll results have proven that the President still enjoys public support despite the criticisms hurled against him.

“The opposition needs to look for another issue they can use against the President aside from the way he talks because we have seen that their tirades did not affect the public’s trust in the President,” Roque told radio station dzRH.

A nationwide SWS poll conducted from Sept. 15 to 23 found 70 percent of Filipinos satisfied with Duterte, up by five points from 65 percent in June.

Only 16 percent of the respondents said they were dissatisfied with Duterte’s performance while the rest were undecided on the matter. The President’s net satisfaction rating stood at +54 in September, higher than +45 he obtained in June.

Roque said Duterte’s governance is not influenced by survey numbers but by his campaign promises – curbing corruption and illegal drugs and providing a comfortable life for Filipinos.

“Nevertheless, we are happy that the President got a very good rating. That means despite the challenges – inflation, lack of rice – the President is not sleeping on the job,” Roque said in an interview with state-run Radyo Pilipinas.

“He is not Noynoying. He is using his power to reduce the sufferings of our people,” he added.

“Noynoying” is a term coined by critics of former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to describe his supposed inaction on the country’s problems.

Roque also shrugged off the statement of Novaliches Bishop Emeritus Teodoro Bacani that Duterte is a “joke” and his anti-corruption campaign a “farce.”

“The President has fired several people because of corruption. They can use a lot of things to criticize the President but they cannot claim that he is corrupt. They cannot claim that he did not use his power to fight corruption,” Roque said.