Palace: ‘Pragmatic’ voters picked pols in narcolist ‘out of necessity’
MANILA, Philippines — People voted “out of necessity” as they picked politicians who were included in the “narcolist” of President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang said Thursday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the voters may have voted the politicians who had helped them in the past.
“The dynamics of local [politics] is different. They (voters) are the ones who know their candidates…The voters are pragmatic. If the officials help them, whenever their children are brought to the hospital, even if they are in the drug list, people would still vote for them,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“The dynamics of local elections are different, [it’s] more [out] of necessity,” he added.
During the May 13 midterm elections, some of the politicians tagged in the President’s narcolist won.
READ: Some politicians on Duterte’s ‘narcolist’ win in local polls
Article continues after this advertisementDuterte earlier said he released the narcolist to warn the public.
Article continues after this advertisementAsked whether this has any effect, Panelo said that it is effective to some, but for others, while they believe in the President, “they elected the politician who had helped them because they need their assistance.”
After winning the elections, will the government pursue pressing charges against these narco politicans?
“It always depends on the evidence,” Panelo said.
Elections credible
Despite various glitches that marred the elections, Panelo said the midterm election was credible.
“I think so, yes, definitely,” he said.
Various vote counting machines (VCMs) malfunctioned on election day in various parts of the country as millions of Filipinos trooped to polling precincts.
Panelo, however, said the VCMs that suffered glitches were only a small percentage of the machines deployed nationwide.
Panelo on Tuesday said Malacañang is supporting the move to launch a congressional probe on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over VCM glitches. (Editor: Eden Estopace)
