MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte still has extensive and rock-solid support of the general public, Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go said Tuesday.
“Patuloy na naniniwala sa ating Pangulo at mararamdaman natin iyan. Noong isang nakita ninyo 78 percent vote of confidence sa war against drugs ang mga kababayan natin (The people continue to trust the President and we feel that. You’ve seen the result of the survey that showed 78% have confidence in the war against drugs),” he said.
Duterte’s top aide made the statement after a new Pulse Asia survey showed that the Chief Executive remains to be the most approved and trusted national official. He added that a recent Social Weather Stations poll showed that more Filipinos are satisfied with the government’s war against illegal drugs.
In a recent radio interview over DXZL 558, Go said those who are against the President should just let the people decide for themselves.
“Ang ibig ko pong sabihin ay let the people judge na lang… marami silang pinagsasabi, pero still marahil nagtataka rin sila kung bakit ganoon pa rin ang paniniwala ng mga mamamayan sa ating Pangulo (This means we should just let the people be the judge. The critics have been saying a lot of things but the people still trust the President),” he said.
Go reiterated that Duterte works for the good of the nation and not for the position.
“Sinabi niya nandirito ‘yung mga militar sa tabi ko, kung ayaw na nila sa akin, sa tingin nila hindi na ako fit mamuno, sinabi niya walang isang segundo at bababa ako sa pwesto kung ayaw na. Ibig sabihin hindi naman kapit itong pangulo sa pwesto (The President said if the military does not want him anymore, he will not stay a second longer and will resign. He does not want to attach himself to the position),” he added.
Go said there is no need for Duterte to conduct a loyalty check with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
This, after a coalition of communist rebels and critics of the President were reported to be conspiring to remove him from office in October.
He added that the loyalty of the military and police is with the country, above anything else.
“Hindi na po, alam po namin, hindi na po kailangan, alam natin na ang pulis at militar ay loyal to the flag at sa ating bansa. Not only to the President, (loyalty) ay sa bansa (There is no need to do a loyalty check. We know that the police and military are loyal to the flag – not only to their President but to their country),” he said.
There is no need to worry because majority of the AFP and PNP personnel follow the chain of command, he added.
“Malaki ang tiwala ko sa ating mga militar, dahil respeto nila ang chain of command at alam rin nilang ginagawa ng ating Pangulo ang para sa ating bayan, at mismo ‘yung mga Pilipino maramdaman mo naman rin siguro (I have full trust in our military because they respect the chain of command. We know that the President is doing his responsibility as their commander-in-chief and the people feel this),” he said.
The President, he said, will not prevent anyone from expressing dissent.
“Karapatan naman nila iyon na anytime po, nirerespeto naman po ng ating Pangulo ‘yung mga pagrarally at pagtitipon nila basta huwag lang sila manggulo (That’s their right and the President respects them. They can protest all they want as long as they don’t cause trouble),” he said. (OSAP PR)
