Malacañang rebuffed the grim portrayal of the Philippines in a newly released political advertisement featuring Vice President Sara Duterte and the president's sister, describing the “ITIM” (black) narrative as more reflective of the past than the present.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro joined officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) to address the issues raised in the controversial ad, from alleged rising crime to hunger and injustice.

PNP says ‘Narrative does not match data’

Responding to questions about the ad’s claim that crime has worsened, Police Maj. Gen. Roderick Augustus B. Alba, Director for Police Community Relations, said that official crime data contradicts that perception.

“We have a 26 percent drop in crime nationwide for January to April 2025 compared to the same period last year,” Alba said in Filipino. “The perception being pushed is something we respect, but it does not reflect the actual situation on the ground.”

When asked if the streets are safe, Alba answered: “Definitely. While there are sensationalized crimes that sometimes take time to solve, they don’t represent the broader situation in the country.”

Palace: 'Itim' is the past, not the present

Meanwhile, Castro criticized the tone and implication of the “ITIM” video, saying that if the nation was once in darkness, it was during the previous administration — not under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“That ‘black’ description is more fitting for the previous administration. Today, it may not be perfectly white yet, but we are heading in that direction,” she said.

The video, released Monday, showed Vice President Duterte lamenting the state of the country, claiming “Itim ngayon ang kulay ng bansa. Sa gutom at krimen, nagluluksa.” The senator echoed the sentiment, stating that allies outside the administration are being persecuted.

Castro rejected the idea that hunger is worsening, citing data from a Hong Kong news outlet: “In 2023, poverty incidence dropped to 15.5 percent from 18.1 percent in 2021,” she said.

She also referenced economic burdens inherited from the Duterte administration. “The previous government left us with P7.2 trillion in debt. We are still paying for that,” she said.

In response to Senator Marcos’s line from the ad — “Gutom na ang sikmura, gutom pa sa hustisya” — Castro drew a sharp contrast.

She recounted the story of a mother who lost her son during a 2016 drug operation and described feeling a sense of justice when former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte was arrested.

When asked about President Marcos Jr.’s reaction to the ad, Castro declined to comment on campaign matters. “What I can say is the President is not in favor of negative campaigning — especially when it borders on fake news.”