President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called out Facebook following its decision to take down several accounts that were linked to Filipino security forces.
Duterte said he learned that Facebook took down several "advocacy" pages of the government. He did specify the pages, then added, "What's the purpose of you being here?"
"You cannot lay down a policy for my government. You cannot bar or prevent me from espousing the objectives of government," he said.
"Now, if government cannot espouse or advocate something which is for the good of the people, then what is your purpose here in my country?" he said.
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Duterte then called Facebook's attention to pages that encourage the left. "You know Facebook, insurgency is about overturning government... What would be the point of allowing you to continue if you cannot help us?"
Government is "not advocating mass destruction, massacre... It's a fight of ideas. Apparently from the drift of your statement, it cannot be used as a platform."
"It's so convoluted, I cannot understand it. Tell me kung bakit hindi ko magamit para sa kapakanan ng taumbayan, government cannot use it for the good of the people then we have to talk, we have to talk sense," he said.