Palace on SWS survey: It’s an ugly truth

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella (Presidential file photo by ALBERT ALCAIN)

Malacañang has described as an “ugly truth” the result of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, which said that more poor people were getting killed in the administration’s war on illegal drugs.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, however, assured the public that President Rodrigo Duterte was addressing the issue.

“It is unfortunate that this [particular] drug [killings]… is accessible to that particular demographic. Again, it’s an ugly truth na ganoon nga,” Abella told reporters following a Palace briefing on Tuesday.

Abella made the statement after the SWS survey showed that three out of five Filipinos believe that mostly poor were victims of the government’s war on drugs.

“That’s exactly why the President is allowing now for a full investigation so that those who can defend themselves less have more in terms of the backing of law,” he said.

“This is exactly why policemen are being retrained, that’s exactly why they are relieved of position. It’s being addressed, and I think we should address that,” he added.

The Palace official urged the public to look into the bigger gains of the administration’s war on drugs.

“Huwag po tayong myopic. Huwag po tayong nakatutok lang sa maliliit na ganitong—tingnan natin ang ginagawa ng Presidente sa malawakan. And he’s truly addressing it,” he said.

(Let us not be myopic. Let us not focus only on these small – let us see what the President is doing on the whole. And he’s truly addressing it.)                 /kga