Palace calls US intel report on Duterte as ‘myopic, speculative’

President Rodrigo Duterte,TOTO LOZANO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Malacañang on Wednesday slammed as “myopic and speculative” the remarks of US Intelligence Community tagging President Rodrigo Duterte as a threat to democracy and human rights.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said President Duterte has no “autocratic tendencies” contrary to the Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community.

READ: US Intelligence Community: Duterte is one of threats to democracy in Southeast Asia

“The US intelligence community’s assessment is myopic and speculative at best,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

“For one, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is no autocrat or has no autocratic tendencies.  He adheres to the rule of law and remains loyal to the Constitution,” Roque added.

He said an autocracy in the country “is not prevalent, as they would like everyone to believe.

“Our media are still able to broadcast and print what they want–‘fake news’ included.  Our judiciary and the courts are functioning as usual.  Our legislature remains independent and basic services are still being delivered,” he added.

The Palace official said “there is no revolutionary government or nationwide martial law, which US intelligence officials are saying that the President might declare or impose.

“While it is true that the Administration uses and maximizes social media to promote government messages and accomplishments, members of the political opposition and other cause-oriented groups use the same media platform to advance their agenda,” he said.

The US Intelligence Community, a federation of 16 government agencies that work separately and together to conduct intelligence to support the foreign policy and national security of the US, said “that more governments are using propaganda and misinformation in social media to influence foreign and domestic audiences.”

“We have to understand the use of social media has become an important part of the daily lives of Filipinos,” he said.

“It is therefore foolhardy not to tap social media as a tool when the technology exists for free.  I don’t know of any government in the free world which does not use the internet and social media to promote its agenda. This is very true especially in the case of the US. This latest intelligence assessment is a classic case in point,” he added. /je