The Presidential Communications Operations Office on Wednesday launched a docufilm and a magazine that feature the accomplishments and challenges of President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, in a bid to address “inaccurate narratives” and fight the “negative press.”
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said it is the duty of his office to “tell the narrative of the government” pertaining to Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs which has been condemned by both local and international human rights groups.
The 50-minute docufilm titled “Gramo” seeks to enlighten the public on the multi-dimensional approach of the government to eradicate the drug menace, by showing the “real stories of victims on the ground, transformation of former drug users, law enforcement operations and the crackdown of rogue cops.”
Meanwhile, the magazine “Saving the Future of a Nation: Countering Hard Drugs” features the key performance indicators on the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.
“This will immortalize the Duterte legacy of providing Filipinos a dignified and comfortable life,” Andanar told Palace reporters.
Andanar also said he is hoping that the government’s narrative would reach “the different sectors in the international stage” through these initiatives.
Duterte’s “drug war” has been the administration’s flagship campaign which killed more than 5,000 drug suspects since its launch in 2016.
It was marred with controversies over alleged police abuses and vigilantes targeting poor drug suspects.
In July this year, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution to probe into the human rights situation in the country amid Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
Eighteen countries sponsored the Iceland-led resolution which drew the ire of Duterte, prompting him to order all government agencies to reject loans and grants from the states which backed the inquiry.
President Duterte has previously dared Vice President Leni Robredo to serve as the anti-drug czar, apparently irked by her criticisms on the campaign.
Robredo took the helm of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) that is tasked to ensure that member agencies implement policies pertaining to the anti-drug campaign in an “integrated and synchronized” manner.