Malacañang on Saturday, September 9, warned the public against “malignant elements” who may be conspiring to sabotage President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against criminality and illegal drugs.
In a statement aired over Radyo Pilipinas, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella stressed how the recent killings of three teenagers in the country could be a ploy to discredit the Duterte administration.
“The recent killings apparently targeting the youth should be viewed with suspicion and urgency,” he stressed.
Abella said the President’s campaign to rid the country of illegal drugs has adversely affected many powerful narco-politicians and extremely wealthy drug lords who flourished prior to his administration.
Hence, he said it should not come as a surprise that such “malignant elements” would conspire to sabotage the administration’s centerpiece program.
These plots may include creating scenarios stoking public anger against the government, Abella added.
President Duterte himself earlier raised the possibility that the killings of three teenage boys were done to sabotage the country’s police force.
DILG prepared to hold brgy polls
In another statement, Abella confirmed that the government remains prepared to hold the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections this year, until an act of Congress postpones it to a later date.
“While we adhere to the President’s position of postponement of barangay and SK elections, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), like the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), has always been prepared if in case the barangay elections will push through,” Abella noted.
Palace calls for vigilance amid Hurricane Irma in Miami
Meanwhile, the Presidential Spokesperson advised Filipinos living in Miami to remain vigilant in anticipation of Hurricane Irma’s expected landfall over the weekend.
“Members of the Filipino community have been advised to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travels, and check the latest weather advisories and bulletins from government websites,” Abella stressed.
He further assured that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through its Honorary Consulate in Miami, is closely monitoring the situation in Florida.###PND
