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Malacañang on Tuesday called The New York Times feature on President Rodrigo Duterte a “hack job,” criticizing how it portrayed the Chief Executive.
READ: Becoming Duterte: The Making of a Philippine Strongman
“One would expect more from The New York Times,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
“Their article, ‘Becoming Duterte: The Making of a Philippine Strongman,’ sounds like a well-paid hack job for well-heeled clients with shady motives,” he said.
“PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) does not engage in western liberal niceties to promote his agenda, to rebuild a nation with compromised internal structures,” he said. “He is a roughhewn outsider who vowed to ‘reduce poverty; restore trust in the government by addressing crime, corruption and illegal drugs; and reinforce peace agreements with ethnic Moros who experienced historic injustice, and the CPP/ NPA/ NDF who have been fighting for social justice for decades.’”
Abella accused the publication of “cynically and unfairly” narrating Duterte’s rise to power, which allegedly involved extrajudicial killings.
The Presidential Spokesperson said the article “fails to mention the many initiatives the President made when he was Davao City mayor.”
“Davao City, under the leadership of President Duterte as mayor, is hailed as one of the safest cities in the world where residents follow an anti-smoking and a midnight alcohol ban,” he said, adding that city hall is known for efficient delivery of government services.
Abella enumerated other programs that Duterte started, including an emergency response center.
“One gets the feeling NYT is not interested in presenting the whole truth, only that with which they can bully those who attempt an independent foreign policy,” he said.