Actress Gabby Padilla on Duterte: ‘Didn’t he promise you safer streets?’

MANILA, Philippines – Gabby Padilla is, perhaps, best known for playing strong and courageous characters on the silver screen. And her outspokeness, it turns out, is a real life trait as well. 

Following reports and a viral video of a kidnapping in Makati City before midnight on Monday, December 9, the actress tweeted: “Didn’t he promise you safer streets?”

If it wasn’t clear who she was referring to, the actress made it explicit in a succeding tweet with a screenshot of an old article which quoted Duterte’s then running mate and now Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano as saying they would resign “by January 1, 2017” if the duo fails to make streets in the Philippines safe. 

Gabby’s tweet has since gone viral – with close to 3,000 retweets and nearly 10,000 likes. 

Didn’t he promise you safer streets?

— Gabby (@GabbyGPadilla) December 9, 2019

While Duterte himself was not quoted in the article Gabby took a screenshot of the former Davao City mayor who made an anti-crime plan the cornerstone of his 2016 presidential campaign. He went on to win the 2016 elections and immediately implemented a “war on drugs,” under the premise that “solving” the drug problem would result in the decline of other crimes.

Duterte himself has since conceded that the problem of illegal drugs in the Philippines cannot be solved easily. He promised – and insisted – that he could “win” his so-called “drug war” in 3 to 6 months. He has been president for over 3 years. 

Gabby was reacting to reports that a woman – whom Makati police have yet to identify – was kidnapped along a commercial street in Makati City, near the country’s central business district. Police confirmed the crime after footage of a van speeding away as a woman inside screamed for help made the rounds on social media. 

Makati police said they are investigating the case. 

Cayetano, a staunch Duterte ally, said in September 2016: “It’s not perfect. In fact, the President very candidly said he needs another 6 months, but let us be honest with ourselves, it is happening. The Philippines is becoming more like Singapore in terms of being able to walk the streets at any time at night.” He was addressing early criticism of Duterte’s bloody “drug war.”

Gabby is a rising star in Philippine cinema. She most recently starred in Mikhail Red’s Dead Kids and Eerie. She also starred in 2018’s Billie and Emma.  – Rappler.com