Andanar slams ‘erroneous narratives’ vs Duterte on Netflix show

A Malacañang official scored American comedian Hasan Minhaj for presenting “falsehoods” about President Rodrigo Duterte and the country’s situation on Netflix’s political-satire show “Patriot Act” ahead of the midterm elections on Monday.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar took exception to Hasan’s remarks in the episode "Brazil, Corruption, and the Rainforest” where he called Duterte an “autocrat” who “every so often goes on a killing spree.”

Hasan also said Duterte’s war on drugs was “ineffective.”

“We find it desperate that, on the eve of the Philippine midterm elections, the vociferous detractors of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte would use an American comedy show, aired on Netflix, to demonize the chief executive and his government in its episode entitled ‘Brazil, Corruption and the Rainforest’ before the global audience,” Andanar said in a statement on Wednesday.

Andanar said Hasan cited an “exaggerated” figure of 27,000 for the drug war deaths which is way higher than the official figure of over 5,000 “to besmirch the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.”

“The Philippine National Police also reported that a large number of deaths were done by the hands of vigilantes due to the rivalry between drug gangs,” he said.

The Palace official said 7 out of 10 Filipinos said that the Duterte administration is serious in solving the killings in the country and 6 out of 10 Filipinos mentioned that the illegal drug users in their areas have decreased based on independent pollsters, “attesting that the campaign is effective.”

Aside from law enforcement, the government also have rehabilitation programs that have benefitted 303,533 individuals, according to Andanar.

“We express outrage that such erroneous narratives, obviously peddled by anti-Duterte haters and trolls, would find their way to the gullible TV host and his comedy show and unwittingly parrot these falsehoods to an audience unaware of the real score in the Philippines,” he added.

Hasan also heaped praises on journalist and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and Senator Leila De Lima for “standing up against Duterte.”

Andanar, however, said the cases against Ressa and De Lima underwent legal processes and their opposition to Duterte has nothing to do with the charges that they are now facing.

He said Ressa committed tax evasion, breach of anti-dummy laws, and violation of cyber laws while De Lima violated the anti-drug law.

Hasan also criticized Duterte’s preferred senatorial candidates, particularly Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, daughter of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos.

Andanar said the Philippines, like the United States, is a country where democracy is “vibrant and the will of the people reigns supreme.”

“Ultimately, it is the Filipino people who will choose their own set of leaders and we simply have to respect the results of the elections,” he said.

He added the President called on the public to vote for those who support his measures to uplift people from poverty and dismiss the “black propaganda” against the administration.

“The preliminary results of the nationwide polls affirmed that the public indeed heeded the President’s call. This proves that the voting population continues to believe in the genuine reforms advocated by the candidates endorsed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” he said.

Nine of the 12 Senate seats at stake in Monday's vote are expected to go to administration candidates based on partial and unofficial tally of votes coming from the Commission on Elections’ transparency server.

Independents would clinch the three other seats as some opposition Otso Diretso candidates already conceded defeat. — LA, GMA News