Malacañang responded to Amnesty International’s (AI) annual report on the country’s human rights situation, saying that it is “simply a cut-and-paste collection of recycled issues and arguments” against the current administration.
In a statement, Communications Secretary and acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar asked the human rights organization to “sit down with government to clarify whatever concerns them” and urged the body to engage with the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat.
“AI’s reports are never vetted with the Philippine government if only to authenticate their information. The absence of such vetting relegates AI’s report to a mere false rehash,” the statement read, adding this also includes “false narratives” on the war against illegal drugs and the cases of journalist Maria Ressa and Senator Leila de Lima.
The Palace said the report saying the government’s COVID-19 response was mishandled lacked fact-checking, noting the country’s current status at minimal risk.
Meanwhile, the government’s programs will continue with three months left before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.
Acting Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag said the Chief Executive will be busy in the coming days for government projects, as well as his “first public appearance” to endorse the candidates of PDP Laban.
“So Cebu ito sa Lapu-Lapu City. It is being arranged now. Then we are planning probably 24 areas that the President will appear to endorse the senatorial candidates of PDP Laban, and also those candidates will also endorse the local candidates of PDP Laban,” he said.
On March 31, the President will have a meeting with the Regional Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in Cebu Province, where he will also lead the grand rally of PDP-Laban in the area. – Report from Mela Lesmoras/ML-ag
Watch the report here:
