In the middle of debates about the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang has called on Filipinos to never leave the issue on the extrajudicial killings during Duterte's bloody drug war untouched.
The attention must not only be towards the accused, the Palace said, reminding the people of the crimes against humanity, particularly the killings, committed during the implementation of the war on drugs.
"Siguro po pag-usapan din po natin yung mga di umanong biktima. Hindi puro dapat sa kanila lang nakatuon ang atensyon ng tao (Perhaps, we should talk about the victims too. Our attention should not only be on them)," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing on Friday, March 14.
Castro was referring to Duterte and his co-accused.
The Palace official stressed that by putting all the attention to the accused, the public is losing the focus on the victims who were taken away from their families due to the drug war.
"Hindi napapansin sa ngayon ano ang naranasan ng mga biktima. Ano ang naranasan ng mga pamilya na naiwan ang kanilang mga kamag-anak na naging di umanong biktima ng EJK (We are losing sight of what the victims went through. What their families went through)," Castro said.
"Bakit ngayon ang mga Pilipino hindi na nakikita yung mga namatay? Bakit ang pagtutuunan natin ang pansin yung pinagbibintangan na pumatay at nagpapatay? Bakit parang nag-glorify pa natin sa ngayon yung naaakusahan ng murder and crimes against humanity (Why do Filipinos cannot see those who died? Why are we only looking at the man accused of killing and ordering the killings? Why does it seem like we are glorifying the one accused of murder and crimes against humanity)," Castro lamented.
She urged the public to open their minds and recognize what the EJK victims and their families endured.
"Sana po ang taumbayan, buksan naman nila yung isip. Tignan po nila ano ang naramdaman ng mga tao, ng pamilya na naging biktima ng EJK (May the people open their minds. Look at what the EJK victims and their families felt)," she said.
Castro reiterated that there were people who died because of the drug war, and it is true that charges have been filed over this, which led to the arrest of Duterte.
"Ang mga taumbayan sana po imulat n'yo ang inyong mga mata. Tingnan n'yo po kung ano ba talaga ang katotohanan. Muli, huwag nating iwanan yung issue ng extra judicial killings. Meron pong mga namatay, meron pong mga nagrereklamo (May the people open their eyes. Look at what really happened. Again, do not abandon the issue on extra judicial killings. There were people who died, there were complaints)," Castro further said.
She also pointed out that the complaints were lodged in 2017, stressing that it did not happen during the time of President Marcos.
Palace respects Duterte supporters' right to protest
While Malacañang called on the people not to veer away from the issues of EJK, it also respects the right of Duterte supporters to hold protests.
"Yung mga nakikisimpatya po sa dating pangulong Duterte, karapatan po nila 'yan. Hindi po 'yan pipigilan. Karapatan po nila na malungkot, magdalamhati para kay dating pangulong Duterte (Those who are sympathizing with former president Duterte, that's their right. We will not prevent them to. It's their right to feel sad for former president Duterte)," Castro said.
"Sa ngayon po, pinahihintulutan po natin, allowed naman po (Right now, we are allowing it, they are allowed) to just to express their rights. They have to exercise that right of freedom of expression," she added.
As of now, Castro also said, they do not see the ongoing protests as alarming. However, if it reaches a point where the people are getting affected by the demonstrations, the government will start to intervene.
"Kung ito naman po ay dumadami at puro kasinungalingan ang ipinapangalandakan especially sa social media, hindi po pwedeng tulugan ng administrasyon ito (If it worsens, and lies continue to be peddled, especially on social media, the administration cannot sleep on this)," Castro said.