Palace denies COVID-19 response wanting

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang denied Thursday that the government’s COVID-19 response is lacking, noting that it is just easy for people not expected to perform during the pandemic to criticize the handling of the health crisis.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this as he “strongly disagree” with Vice President Leni Robredo’s critique that there seems to be no one in charge of the Philippines’ COVID-19 response as he highlighted the strides made by the government in strengthening the country’s healthcare system.

“Hindi po totoo na hindi sapat ang ating response. Siguro madali pong magpula dahil hindi tayo ang nasa gitna ng pandemya at hindi tayo ang inaasahang gumalaw. So napakadali talaga na ika’y magpula,” Roque said in a televised Palace press briefing.

“Pero ang Presidente hindi naman po niya pinupulaan si VP Leni, kinikilala niya at kinilala niya ang mga tulong ni VP Leni. Ang pakiusap lang ng Presidente, magkaisa sa panahon ng pandemya. Isantabi muna ang pulitika, matagal tagal pa po ‘yan. Marami pang mangyayari mula ngayon hanggang 2022. Tulungan po muna natin ang ating taumbayan,” he added.

In a 20-minute speech posted on Facebook, Robredo said some people are losing confidence in the government as they were being left to fend for themselves in the face of the pandemic.

“Paano ba naman magkakaroon ng kumpiyansa kung patuloy ang mga alegasyon ng korupsyon—sa mga overpriced na PPE set at ayuda, sa PhilHealth na inaasahan nating magbibigay sa atin ng sense of security sakaling magkasakit tayo. Paanong magkakaroon ng kumpiyansa kung ni hindi natin masiguro kung saan napupunta ang mga pondo?” Robredo said.

“Na sa atin pa ang sisi kapag may nahawa o namatay—tayo pa ang pasaway. Na parang wala na tayong maaasahan sa mga pinuno — o para ba mismong wala nang namumuno,” she added.

READ: Robredo hits rudderless leadership amid pandemic in unleashing stinging criticism of gov’t 

But Duterte did not take Robredo’s public criticism sitting down and said that the opposition leader was just out to topple his administration.

“Please do not add fuel to the fire. You will just destroy government. Wag ninyong sirain ang gobyerno kasi masisira ang tao. Pag nasisira ang gobyerno, lulutang tayong lahat. Maski na sabihin ninyo mamatay ako bukas, it cannot solve the problem of the country,” the President said. [ac]