Respect for Law and Government Restored during Duterte’s Leadership
MANILA - Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Wednesday said that with the promises of real change delivered by the Duterte administration, respect for the law and the government has been restored.
In an interview, Secretary Andanar mentioned that President Rodrigo Duterte made clear accomplishments based on what he had promised in 2016, especially in maintaining law and order, anti-corruption, and poverty alleviation.
“Nanumbalik ang respeto sa ating batas [We have restored respect for the law],” he said.
“Yun po ay kakaibang legasiya that would differentiate the administration from the past administration [That’s the unique legacy that would differentiate the administration from the past administration],” he added as he cited President Duterte's tough stance in dealing with businesses who are tax delinquent.
He said that the peace and order situation in the country has improved during the current administration, starting with its unrelenting campaign to eradicate illegal drugs.
“Bawat administrasyon may kanya-kanyang problema at pangangailangan na kailangan solusyunan. At nagkataon na sa panahon ni Presidente Digong ang kailangan solusyunan ay yung naglipanang droga sa ating lipunan [Each administration has different challenges to address. It just so happens that for President Duterte, it was the proliferation of illegal drugs that needed to be addressed],” he said.
PH domain remains intact during Duterte Admin
In a series of interviews he had on Wednesday, Secretary Andanar also said that there was no territory lost during the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
He went on to say the Philippine government continues to patrol WPS and assert its sovereignty and sovereign rights under the Philippine Constitution and international law.
“Patuloy po tayong nagbabantay, nagmamatyag sa West Philippine Sea at hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin po tayo naaagawan ng lupa o bato o feature sa panahon ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte [We continue to patrol over the West Philippines Sea and up until now no land or features were taken away from us during the time of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte],” he said.
The PCOO chief cited the modernization efforts for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which aims to capacitate our military in terms of equipment and personnel management as it carries out its mandate to protect the country, and to maintain peace and order.
He stressed that the interest of the people remain at the center of all the undertakings of the administration.
“Patuloy po ang ating independent foreign policy na ipinaglalaban po ng ating Pangulo na tayo ay aakto lamang base sa interes ng ating mga kababayan [Our independent foreign policy that our President promotes wherein we only act in the interest of our countrymen],”
“An example is the abrogated Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States which he retracted because the President has seen that it is a good way to maintain relationship,” he added.
