Palace on Duterte as most googled person in PH: Not surprising

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Malacañang on Friday said it was not “surprising” that President Rodrigo Duterte topped the list of most googled person in the Philippines.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar issued this statement after Duterte was named the most googled person in the Philippines for 2016 in a report by Time magazine.

READ: Duterte is PH’s most googled person—Time magazine

“2016 is an election year in the Philippines. The President was relatively an unknown figure outside Davao City and Region XI. It is therefore not surprising that the people in the Philippines would be interested to know him and his platform,” Andanar said.

Duterte,  mayor of Davao City for 22 years, ran for President under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

The 71-year-old Chief Executive ran with a campaign promise of eradicating crimes, illegal drugs and corruption within his first six months in office.

Upon his assumption of office in June, Duterte waged a brutal crackdown on illegal drugs and promised a “clean” government for Filipinos.

The President has received global criticisms for his no-nonsense war against the illegal drug trade, being called a murderer and human rights violator.

He also became controversial for his decisions, which included the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and his repeated threats to severe ties with the US in an apparent move to build alliances with China and Russia.

Duterte’s decision to “set aside” the United Nations arbitral ruling over Philippine claims in the West Philippines Sea was also met with criticisms. RAM/rga