Many Filipinos don’t like it if one of their own is being criticized, and that seems to go double if that person happens to be widely popular President Rodrigo Duterte.
A quick look at the Facebook page of Netflix’s Patriot Act backs up that thesis nicely, as the outrage brigade is out in full force today after last night’s episode delved into Duterte’s brutal drug war and laid the deaths it has caused right at voters’ feet ahead of today’s midterm elections.
In the segment, host Hasan Minhaj expressed disbelief at how Duterte remains popular despite reports that his drug war has claimed the lives of thousands of Filipinos, with the Commission of Human Rights estimating as many as 27,000 drug suspects have been killed since 2016.
Duterte’s popularity means that it’s likely for his allies to win in the Senate elections, specifically Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, former special assistant Christopher “Bong” Go, and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
Said Minhaj: “Voters are co-signing Duterte’s bloody drug war through 2022, and this deadly crackdown isn’t just brutal, it’s ineffective. In many neighborhoods, crystal meth is actually getting cheaper and more accessible. [But] Duterte’s [drug] war hasn’t addressed the root of the problem.”
Watch the video below to hear everything Minhaj has to say. It’s been viewed almost 91,000 times and shared almost 3,700 times since it was posted. The segment’s YouTube clip has been viewed almost 138,000 times.
Some netizens are mightily upset that Duterte was painted in a negative light in the show, such as Angelo Miguel, who asked Minhaj how much he got paid by the opposition party to criticize the president.
While the fact is that these exact same criticisms have been addressed repeatedly by international media covering our country, Miguel’s question remains a common response among Duterte fans — if person criticizes the president, it’s because he has been paid by the opposition Liberal Party.
Shandy Lim said Minhaj should just focus on India. While that particular jab betrays a bit of ignorance, as Minhaj is an American citizen, he has, in fact, tackled Indian issues several times on his show.
Marsemplice Abante, another Duterte fan, told Minhaj to “mind your own country,” and that most Filipinos “love” what the president has done for the Philippines.
Kelvin Medina questioned the facts presented by Minhaj, telling the host he should not have relied on information being presented by the media.
Honey de Peralta was one of those who didn’t attack Minhaj. She said there are a plenty of Filipinos who are not supportive of Duterte’s policies, adding that Minhaj’s analysis was “not wrong.”
Do you agree with Minhaj’s discussion about Duterte and the elections? Tell us by leaving a comment below or tweeting to @CoconutsManila.
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