MALACAÑANG ON Wednesday again defended President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s deadly drug war, but this time from a new critic: His predecessor, Benigno S. C. Aquino III.

Mr. Aquino, who has been by and large out of the public eye since he finished his term last year, spoke to the media on Wednesday — the death anniversary of his mother, former President Corazon C. Aquino — and implied that the Duterte government’s brutal crackdown has so far been ineffective.

“Parang wala yatang nangyari (It seems like nothing happened),” Mr. Aquino was quoted as saying as he cited data from the Dangerous Drugs Board.

Presidential Spokersperson Ernesto C. Abella hit back at Mr. Aquino and addressed him as an “ex-politician.”

“Comments like the above from past leaders imply a jaded cynicism borne of a history of political opportunism,” Mr. Abella said in a statement.

Later in the day, Mr. Duterte, speaking at the Bureau of Internal Revenue anniversary, issued a profanity-laced tirade against Mr. Aquino.

“With all due respect to former President Aquino, the results of President Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign speak for them- selves,” ​Mr. Abella ​said

The spokesperson for Mr. Duterte said the drug war has resulted in the “unprecedented” voluntary surrender of more than 1.3 million drug personalities. He went on to cite data comparing the number of arrested drug personalities and illegal drug volume seized in the past year against those during Mr. Aquino’s six-year term.

“Much ground has been gained in the campaign against hard drug traffickers and violators, but the mission is to end the demand, production, distribution and sale of illegal drugs,” Mr. Abella said.

During his second State of the Nation Address last July 24, Mr. Duterte said his anti-narcotics campaign will be “unremitting as it will be unrelenting” despite pressures from critics at home and abroad. — Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral

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