‘Lawmaker’s death used for mileage’

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday accused the opposition of using the murder of Ako Bicol party-list congressman Rodel Batocabe to gain political mileage and bolster the chances of its candidates in the May 2019 polls.

“The political opposition is running out of issues to the point that its members are running berserk in their accusation against the President,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in response to Sen. Francis Pangilinan’s claim that the administration’s vicious war on drugs has spawned a culture of impunity. Pangilinan is president of the Liberal Party.

“Obviously, it is an attempt at gaining political mileage to boost the chances of its senatorial candidates. Using the death of Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe for such purpose, however, is a blatant disrespect to his memory,” he added.

Panelo clarified that the administration strongly condemns the brazen and senseless killing of Batocabe.

“To associate his death to the current government’s campaign against illegal drugs is grossly irresponsible and utterly unfair. The President considers such kind of heinous crime belonging to the leading class which he desires to eliminate,” the presidential spokesman said. 

“It is the opposition which seeks to cushion the full force of the law against the perpetrators by speaking against the President’s relentless drive to end the drug menace instead of supporting it,” he added.

Panelo also stressed that the daily killings that Pangilinan attributed to the Duterte administration were not state-sanctioned. –  With Paolo Romero