Kapuso journalist Atom Araullo has zeroed in on President Rodrigo Duterte’s conflicting claims.
On Twitter, Atom tweeted several screenshots of President Duterte’s statements contradicting each other.
Atom’s tweet came on the heels of President Duterte’s latest public address where he claimed that he already warned all Filipinos about COVID-19 since the very start.
“At the start, sinabi ko sa inyo, bantay tayo. Talagang yayariin tayo ng COVID na ito. It might not really cripple a country but it will of course cause sadness and fear kung paano tayo makakaraos dito,” Duterte said Monday April 6, 2020.
https://t.co/cctyqehkqS pic.twitter.com/XMuFB5QqgY
— Atom Araullo (@atomaraullo) April 7, 2020
However, in his initial public addresses about COVID-19 in February 2020, Duterte downplayed the emerging crisis, saying there’s nothing to be worried about since the virus will die a natural death.
“Everything is well in the country. There’s nothing really to be extra scared of that coronavirus thing. Although it has affected a lot of countries–but, you know, one or two in a country is not really that fearsome,” he said
“Kagaya ng (Just like) SARS, I assure you, even without vaccines, it will just die a natural death,” he added.
He even joked that he will slap the virus while saying the government is ready to defeat it.
“We can defeat this virus,”
“P— inang idioto na corona ito. Hinahanap ko gusto ko sampalin ang gago.”
GMA News on its Facebook Page also shared two contrasting statements made by the President.
https://www.facebook.com/gmanews/photos/a.126333131976/10158619133451977/?type=3&theater
Meanwhile, several netizens and celebrities also shared Atom’s sentiments slamming President’s consistently inconsistent pronouncements.
Most netizens also shared screenshots of news clips about Duterte’s current and previous statements regarding COVID-19 crisis.
Four years of correcting contradictory statements. Thank you journalists for never getting tired!
— ayweh (@PingMedina) April 7, 2020
https://twitter.com/eguic2430/status/1247369239020703745
Just the facts. Please don’t take this down, @gmanews.
Sa kanyang talumpati kagabi, sinabi ng Pangulo na binalaan na niya ang publiko tungkol sa virus noong simula pa lang.
THEN: https://t.co/jGexmN4H0F pic.twitter.com/8ruGHlIOPP
— The Professional Heckler™️ (@hecklerforever8) April 7, 2020
https://twitter.com/gangbadoy/status/1247519224790044675
https://twitter.com/MackiePZamora/status/1247442325661298688
Really now? pic.twitter.com/N7Iu1MvZTb
— Leisbeth Recto (@leisbeth_recto) April 7, 2020
https://twitter.com/AltPCOOSec/status/1247233373052887041
Reminder for the gullible fools:https://t.co/inepKArtzn
— damnbrown (@thedamnbrown) April 7, 2020
now Duterte is hallucinating?
when did he warn us about COVID-19? what “start”?
these are what i remember Duterte said at the start. pic.twitter.com/BNW8kpI1ZP
— What A Waste of Ad Money (@wawam) April 7, 2020
https://twitter.com/NashEmmanuelVV1/status/1247227456550920192
