Palace downplays drop in Duterte ratings

Malacañang downplayed Wednesday the drop in the performance and trust ratings of President Rodrigo Duterte, saying it was still high despite the political noise.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said “the people continue to embrace the President’s vision” for the country despite the criticisms hurled against Duterte.

“The people continue to embrace the President’s vision of a nation that works for the prosperity of all; a trustworthy government; and lasting peace, considering that the survey coincided with vicious noise from the President’s fiercest critics : the filing of an impeachment complaint last March 16; the Senate appearance of a self-confessed but perjured assassin; human rights reports highly critical of the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drug traffickers and violators; the internationally aired video message of Vice President Robredo,” Abella said in a statement.

In the latest Pulse Asia survey released on Wednesday, the President’s performance rating slipped by five percentage points to 78 percent in March from the 83 percent he obtained in December last year.

Abella said majority of Filipinos “appreciate the decisiveness of President Duterte, and that the attacks of opportunists like Trillanes and his ilk are baseless and malicious.”

“(T)he seemingly orchestrated events from parties threatened by the housecleaning efforts of the current administration have not dampened the sentiments of the  common people, and those unheard and underserved by past administrations,” Abella said.