Andronico Del Rosario
As the pandemic continues to stymy any attempts at normalcy in the Philippines, the Duterte administration seems to be hell-bent on proving they have handled it well—by saying critics are “politicizing the pandemic.”
“All I can say is that politics has intensified because of the nearing elections,” Roque said during a late-night weekly address of President Rodrigo Duterte.
He would add that those who openly criticized the government’s pandemic response should instead be giving solutions, even as he claimed the IATF already had the “best human capital.”
The reality is in contrast to what Netizens have been posting online, with tarpaulins of groups asking Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to run for President in the 2022 elections, reaching as far north as Pampanga.
One Netizen would show potentially incriminating evidence that the Duterte administration’s bets were more hard-pressed at campaigning for the 2022 National Elections than opposition bets.
https://twitter.com/altmadrianpuse/status/1374032515225198593
This post, in particular, would show posters reaching even farther north—all the way to Tugegarao City.
https://twitter.com/altmadrianpuse/status/1374272124823642115
In the photos: a barangay captain, who came [all-the-way] from Davao City and is now making rounds in Luzon to campaign for his city mayor.
Other Netizens posted receipts of groups campaigning for the younger Duterte to run for President…
’TUMITINDI PO ANG POLITIKA’ "ay sana po tumulong na lang po sila."
Eto po ba? https://t.co/tSHbITxsgh pic.twitter.com/acNHV82NkY
— mayka #SaveLumadSchools (@maykamaykaba) March 23, 2021
… with one showing Roque himself holding a “Run Sara Run” tarpaulin and presenting more receipts.
https://twitter.com/kielanthony/status/1374175182403764226
Another Netizen even alleged that a Cayetano had a political advertisement in the middle of a pandemic.
https://twitter.com/pinoymommy/status/1374330066876788745
Carlo Ople, founder of Unbox.ph, Ungeek.ph, and Unlocked.ph summed up most of the posts contradicting Roque’s claims.
https://twitter.com/carloople/status/1374187464219271169
Roque, however, may have taken his cue from Vice President Leni Robredo’s movement during the pandemic.
Back in the early days of the pandemic and when it was merely called an outbreak–Robredo and the Office of the Vice President are not front and center.
Suggestions would come in from Robredo’s office like shuttles and relief goods—only to be told off by the IATF for allegedly competing with their planned pandemic response.
The best response to Roque’s claim, however, would be from Senator Panfilo Lacson.
Really? Harry, are you serious? Just because I criticize, pamumulitika na? Wala akong tarpaulins. Pag nagbibigay ako ng ayuda sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo at iba pang nangangailangan, tulong lang talaga kaya walang media coverage. I can enumerate to you privately if you want proof.
— PING LACSON (@iampinglacson) March 23, 2021
In a tweet, Lacson fired back at Roque for implying that the more powerful government critics–are more focused on politics than on helping out.
“Kapag nagbibigay ako ng ayuda sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo at iba pang nangangailangan, tulong lang talaga kaya walang media coverage. I can enumerate [them] to you privately if you want proof,” he added.
Roque’s statement is also in stark contrast to what President Duterte himself has been doing weekly—either lambasting critics or openly promoting his special assistant, Senator Bong Go, as the country’s Next President.
