Duterte thinks almost everyone can be better than Leni —Palace

Malacañang on Friday defended President Rodrigo Duterte's latest remark that the Philippines would be better off with a dictator like Ferdinand Marcos, whose two-decade rule was marked by allegations of human rights abuses and massive corruption. 

Duterte issued the statement in a speech in Mandaue City on Thursday as he feared the country will be in trouble if he stopped his campaign against corruption and the illegal drug trade.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque viewed Duterte's pronouncement as a "personal assessment" of Vice President Leni Robredo, his constitutional successor whom he deemed incompetent to tackle the country's pressing problems such as illegal drugs.

"That’s just the personal belief ni Presidente na almost everyone can be better than the Vice President. With all due respect to the Vice President, that’s a personal assessment made by the President," Roque said at a news conference in the presidential palace.

Roque said the President's remark will not affect the proceedings at the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, which is conducting a recount of votes in the 2016 vice presidential race involving Robredo and former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late strongman.

"It’s the ballots that will be speaking and not the [Supreme Court] justices individually. They are just going through the ballots to ascertain kung sino talaga ang binoto ng taumbayan para sa posisyon ng Bise Presidente," Roque said.

Duterte had said that he preferred a military junta or politicians like Marcos' son, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, and incumbent Senator Francis Escudero to succeed him. The Palace, meanwhile, said Duterte might step down from the presidency if Bongbong wins his electoral protest.

Also on Thursday, Duterte stood by his claim that Naga City is a hotbed of shabu and accused Robredo's brother-in-law of bringing the illegal drug trade to Bicol.

Duterte did not name the Robredo relative but former Naga City councilor Luis Ortega had claimed that Butch Robredo, a brother of the late former Naga mayor and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, had links to illegal drugs.

Roque said Butch Robredo's supposed drug links will be investigated.

"Let’s just say that there’s factual basis for anything and everything that the President says because he has access to information, that only the President can have access to," the Palace official said.

The Vice President's camp branded Duterte's accusation against Butch Robredo as lies.

It also challenged the President to investigate the P6.8 billion worth of suspected shabu discovered in Cavite and arrest alleged drug lord Peter Lim. —NB/MDM, GMA News