Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo on Tuesday concurred with the statement of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on barring human rights advocate Phelim Kline from the Philippines.

In a statement, Panelo said that he agrees with Locsin because Kline “has already reached a conclusion that this is a murderous country.”

To recall, Kline said that he will enter the country to advise Vice President Leni Robredo on the drug war.

“Then he will say President Duterte will be arrested? What is that?” said Panelo, referring to Kline’s tweet that Duterte “and his henchmen” who started the drug war should be thrown to prison.

Kline is a former Human Rights Watch deputy director for Asia.

In a tweet, Locsin earlier vowed to deny Kline entry after the latter also tweeted he was coming to Manila to “help” Robredo end the administration’s “murderous” war on drugs.

“Her retarded retinue. Don’t worry; he can’t get into the country,” Locsin said. “We have to spare Leni the moral moronism of those who use her.”

Although the administration is giving the Vice President a free hand in consulting international experts on the drug war, allowing people like Kline into the country is another story altogether, said Panelo.

“Anybody who gives a conclusion that there has been killings, murders — without justification, they have a problem,” said Panelo.

The Palace official, however, said that he is confident Robredo would change her position on the drug war once she experiences firsthand what goes on in the streets.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier called on the Vice President to personally join drug operations so she could “see the realities on the ground,” said Panelo.