Gun violence not ‘clickbait’

Gun violence in the Philippines is a serious issue that should not be dismissed as “clickbait,” Vice President Sara Duterte said on Thursday.

In a statement, Duterte said reports of shootings, killings and other violent crimes have become so common that many Filipinos no longer feel safe, urging the public and the media to focus on the broader issue of public security.

“Gun violence is a reality, not just clickbait,” Duterte said.

“It is a fact that gun violence in the Philippines has become alarmingly commonplace. This is not clickbait, nor is it a headline that should be reduced to a passing remark.”

Duterte said discussions about violence should not be reduced to what she described as a “Duterte and kill, kill, kill” narrative, arguing that the issue reflects the daily experiences of Filipinos concerned about their safety.

Duterte earlier drew criticism over remarks she made before supporters outside the International Criminal Court detention facility in The Hague, where she questioned whether all deaths cited in complaints against former President Rodrigo Duterte could automatically be attributed to the government’s anti-drug campaign.

“I have a husband. My husband has a mistress. I can hire a gunman for P5,000 to kill the mistress. How can you say that all your listed victims, all your listed complainants are supposed victims of the drug war?” Duterte said in the viral video.

In a separate statement, Duterte accused a tabloid of publishing a “deliberately spliced and misleading video” of the speech on its social media platforms.