Panelo: Duterte didn’t downplay COVID-19, just careful not to cause anxiety to people

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte did not raise the alarm early in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis to avoid causing anxiety to the public, his spokesman said Wednesday after the chief executive received backlash for allegedly downplaying the emergence of the disease more than two months ago.

In a public address Monday night, Duterte claimed he had warned the public from the “start” regarding the threat of the respiratory disease that originated from Wuhan City in Hubei province of China.

However, Duterte’s current remark is in stark contrast with his pronouncement during a February 3 press briefing when he questioned the public’s “hysterical” response when there were only a few confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines. He said everything was “well” in the country, and stood by the capability of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The President’s contrasting statements did not sit well with the public.

But presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo asserted that Duterte was merely acting based on the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO), adding that the President was just being cautious not to blow up the health concern and produce “anxiety” to the public.

“Sa madaling sabi, depende po kasi ‘yun sa sitwasyon. Kaya si Presidente noon sumusunod lamang siya sa takbo ng patakaran ng World Health Organization at sa mga nakikita niya sa kanyang kapaligiran,” Panelo said in a virtual press briefing.

(In short, it depends on the situation. Because the President was just following the directives of the World Health Organization and by what he was seeing around him.)

“Nung sinabi niya po ‘yun ay dadalawa pa lang ang namamatay sa atin kaya ayaw niya pong  lumikha ng masyadong anxiety or pagkatakot ang ating mamamayan kaya sinabi niya ‘yun,” he added.

(When he said that, we only had two confirmed deaths and that is why he didn’t want to create anxiety or fear to our people, that’s why he said that.)

The Palace official also noted that Duterte took drastic measures such as the total ban on travelers coming from China and imposed an extended Luzon-wide lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

He then appealed to the critics to refrain from attacking the government in this time of crisis and instead asked them to suggest ways to improve the country’s COVID-19 response.

“Sana at this time of crisis ‘yung pag puna natin sa pamahalaan ay wag na muna tayong maging mainit. Kumbaga nakaraan na ‘yun at ginagawan na ng paraan,” he said.

(I hope at this time of crisis, we refrain from criticizing the government, let’s not be too hot about it. We are already doing something to solve the problem.)

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Philippines has 3,764 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 177 of whom have died while 84 patients were able to recover.

Edited by JPV