Filtered By: Topstories
News

Duterte did everything to address COVID-19 crisis — Panelo


President Rodrigo Duterte acted decisively to address the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) despite claims by his critics that the government was ill-prepared for the pandemic, a Malacañang official said Friday.

In his commentary program aired on state-run PTV, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said Duterte’s move to impose community quarantines ahead of some Asian countries has been effective in curbing the spread of the deadly virus.

Panelo also said the government is already conducting expanded testing for COVID-19 in order to immediately isolate and treat patients.

Nineteen laboratories nationwide have so far been certified to conduct independent COVID-19 testing, while others are currently undergoing the laboratory accreditation process.

As of Thursday, the Philippines had 8,488 COVID-19 cases, with 568 deaths and 1,043 recoveries.

“Nagiging epektibo ang ginawang lockdown ni Presidente at hindi po maaaring sabihin na naging pabaya si Presidente. Lahat po ay ginawa niya,” Panelo said.

Panelo was responding to the claim of columnist John Nery that the decision to implement a lockdown was “sudden and underprepared” and that many Filipinos and foreigners living in the country “have suffered unnecessarily as a result of the government’s initial, faltering response.”

The Palace official also blasted Nery for criticizing Duterte’s late night addresses to the public on COVID-19.

“Whether late sa gabi ang address ng Presidente, hindi naman maaapektuhan ang taumbayan sapagkat the following morning ire-replay ‘yun ng umaga at paulit ulit na nire-replay,” Panelo said.

“Nakakarating pa rin sa taumbayan kung ano gustong iparating ng Presidente.”

Duterte’s body clock is different from others, Panelo said, adding the President starts his work from afternoon until early the next day.

“There are certain personalities in our country today that are bent on criticizing the government and they appear to be not content and not happy with everything or anything that this government does,” Panelo said. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT