Former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo defended her ally President Rodrigo Duterte from the public backlash over his administration’s seeming lack of response to the coronavirus pandemic.

In her one-liner defense of the President, Arroyo said on Tuesday, August 4, that the public finds it “easy” to criticize him when the responsibility to fight the COVID-19 crisis does not fall on their shoulders. 

“It is easy for them to be a Monday morning quarterback because they are not the ones in charge,” Arroyo said in her official Facebook page. 

“Monday morning quarterback” refers to a person who criticizes a decision after the fact and offers alternative solutions to the problem – much like a football fan who assesses the strategy used by a team once the game is over.

Arroyo posted her statement a little past 8:30 am on Tuesday, but it was removed from her page around two hours later. Rappler, however, was able to take a screenshot:

This echoes a similar statement Arroyo made two months ago during a House committee on economic affairs meeting, where she said she has the “highest respect” for Duterte, National Task Force on COVID-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, and all frontliners. 

“It is easy to criticize when you are seated on the sidelines, but when you are the actual gladiator in the arena, the perspective is very different,” Arroyo said on June 25.

It was during this House panel meeting when the former president advised Duterte to begin shifting his focus on helping the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arroyo is no stranger to dealing with a massive public health crisis. It was her administration which successfully curbed the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003.

SARS infected only 14 persons in the Philippines, making it the lowest count among the 30 countries affected by the disease. SARS claimed only two deaths in the country at the time – a Filipino nursing assistant visiting from Canada and her father. 

In contrast, the Duterte administration has long been taking the heat for its slow response to the more formidable SARS-CoV-2, which has already infected over 106,000 people in the country.

Duterte Sunday reverted Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan under modified enhanced community quarantine from August 4 to 18 after medical professionals warned him that the country was on the brink of losing its battle against the pandemic. 

Long-time allies

Arroyo’s defense of Duterte is not surprising, as the two have long been strong allies. (READ: Duterte admin revives Arroyo policies, controversies) 

It was during Duterte’s first months as President when the Supreme Court (SC), voting 11-4, acquitted Arroyo and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board member Benjamin Aguas of plunder over their alleged misuse of P366 million in PCSO funds from 2008 to 2010, or the tail end of Arroyo’s presidency. (READ: Arroyo thanks Duterte for helping to acquit her of plunder)

The SC ruling allowed Arroyo to walk free after almost 4 years of hospital arrest. 

Duterte himself had also repeatedly said he “owed” much to Arroyo, who contributed to his campaign funds in the 2016 presidential elections. – Rappler.com