Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella criticized a New York Times article on President Rodrigo Duterte which appeared on Tuesday.

“One would expect more from The New York Times. Their article, “Becoming Duterte : The Making of a Philippine Strongman,” sounds like a well-paid hack job for well-heeled clients with shady motives,” Abella said on Wednesday.

In that article, Duterte was described as “a child of a privilege turned populist politician, an anti-drug crusader who has struggled with drug abuse. "Obsessed with death he has turned his violent vision into national policy."

“PRRD ( President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) does not engage in western liberal niceties to promote his agenda, to rebuild a nation with compromised internal structures,” Abella said.

“He is a rough hewn outsider who vowed to 'reduce poverty; restore trust in the government by addressing crime, corruption and illegal drugs; and reinforce peace agreements with ethnic Moros who experienced historic injustice, and the CPP/ NPA/ NDF who have been fighting for social justice for decades,” Abella said.

Abella added the New York Times “cynically and unfairly narrates the President’s rise to power in the context of violence.”

“It deliberately fails to mention the many initiatives the President made when he was Davao City mayor,” he said.

Under Duterte, Abella said Davao City was hailed as one of the safest cities in the world where people obey an anti-smoking and a midnight alcohol ban.

Duterte made sure Davao City Hall became efficient in delivering government services to the people, added Abella..

“One gets the feeling NYT is not interested in presenting the whole truth, only that with which they can bully those who attempt an independent foreign policy,” he added. DMS