Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada has shrugged off the sudden drop in President Rodrigo Duterte’s trust rating, saying it will not undermine his all-out support to the chief executive’s advocacies.
Estrada believes that Duterte’s national trust rating, which slid from 83 percent in December 2016 to 76 percent last month, will still go up.
“It’s just natural, it’s just the way it is. It’s even high,” Estrada told reporters at the sidelines of the city government’s “Kalinga ni Erap” medical outreach program at Tondo Sports Complex last Friday, April 7, when asked about the latest poll of Pulse Asia Research Inc. on Duterte.
“This will still go up since his advocacy is good,” he said of Duterte’s hardline policies against illegal drugs. “Illegal drugs is our ‘Number One’ enemy. That’s the biggest problem. The worst crime.”
“We should be united in fighting this crime,” he added.
Despite the President’s dwindling trust rating, Estrada stressed that he trusts Duterte more than ever: “I trust him more since he is more confident. His advocacy against drugs and corruption is continuous.”
Asked about his support to Duterte, he replied: “It’s continuous all the way.”
A known supporter of Duterte, and later becoming “ninong” or godfather of Duterte’s newest grandson, Estrada earlier called on the public to stand behind the President and crush the impeachment complaint filed against him by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano.
Estrada said the country is lucky to have a President like Duterte “who has that conviction, willing to risk his life,” especially in his fight against illegal drugs.
“I’m asking people to support President Duterte. He has the good intention. We should support President Duterte so that illegal drugs would be eradicated. Drugs is our number one enemy . I support him all the way,” he had said earlier.
Based on the results of a survey conducted by Pulse Asia from March 15 to 20, Duterte’s national trust rating dipped to 76 percent from 83 percent in December 2016, a seven-percentage point drop.
The survey also showed that 78 percent of Filipinos approved of his performance so far, 5 percentage points lfewer than his performance approval rating in December at 83 percent.
