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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider #DutertePalpak? Roque says COVID-19 case spike not caused by alleged bungled gov't response

#DutertePalpak? Roque says COVID-19 case spike not caused by alleged bungled gov't response

Published Mar 15, 2021 10:14 pm

The government was not at fault for the latest increase in coronavirus infections in the country, Malacañang insisted Monday, March 15.

Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque (Jansen Romero / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque instead attributed the surge in cases partly to the emergence of the new coronavirus variants in the country, as he dispelled allegations about the government's alleged bungled pandemic response.

The country's cases have reached 626,893 with 12,837 deaths, a year after the strict lockdown was imposed by the government to curb the spread of the illness.

"Bagama’t paulit-ulit kong sinasabi na hindi po ako eksperto, hindi po ako dalubhasa, hindi ako scientist, hindi ako doktor, tingin ko naman iyong kumpirmasyon na nasa Pilipinas na iyong mga bagong variants at itong mga bagong variants na mas nakakahawa ay ito ay isa sa dahilan ng surge, hindi po dahil palpak ang gobyerno (Although I've repeatedly said I am not an expert, scientist, doctor, I think the confirmation that new variants have been detected in the Philippines and these new variants are more infectious are one of the reasons for the surge -- not because the government was incompetent)," he said during a virtual press briefing Monday, March 15.

Roque earlier defended the government's pandemic response, saying it was managing to control the spread of the virus. He described the government's response as "excellent."

In his remarks Monday, Roque said the country was able to slow down the virus spread, citing the lower cases of infections and deaths compared other countries with better healthcare systems.

The government however could "do better in contact tracing" to swiftly detect, test and isolate those with the illness, according to Roque. Roque made the remarks in reaction to the hashtag #DutertePalpak that trended on social media last weekend.

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