Palace tells critics to dump #NasaanAngPangulo

MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. lashed out at President Duterte’s critics for making #NasaanAngPangulo a trending topic again at the height of Typhoon Ulysses, saying the Chief Executive has always been on top of situations even when not seen in public.

Roque lamented that the political opposition is making it appear that Duterte is always missing in action when he has always been on top of the situation.

“You should not ask where the President is. That’s a baloney perpetuated by the opposition because the President is not missing, he is always with us, always thinking of the welfare of our fellow countrymen. To the opposition, put a stop to it. Because you pale in comparison based on the casualties during the past administration,” Roque said.

Duterte, he noted, has been regularly updated on the developments about Typhoon Ulysses while he was virtually attending the 37th Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related summits last Thursday.

“Like what you heard, there was quick response from the government. Unfortunately, we were unable to do anything about the fast rise of the floodwaters. But for sure, all government agencies were ready to respond,” he said during a press briefing yesterday with members of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council at Camp Aguinaldo.

Roque also belied allegations that Duterte was trivializing the plight of many Filipinos when the latter said he wanted to go out and swim with them.

“The real message of the President is he is one with the victims of the recent typhoon,” he said.

He added that there were teams on alert although “rescue operations were not done at once but they (people who need help) did not wait for too long.”

Roque also dismissed the trending hashtag “Nasaan ang Pangulo” (Where is the President?), saying his absence does not mean he was sleeping on the job during calamities.

“There is no need to ask where the President is because the President is always on top of things. (In) this time of technology, he knows what is happening in the different areas of the Philippines,” he said.