Eye-popping Duterte jokes now beyond media reach

President Rodrigo Duterte (KING RODRIGUEZ / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

DAVAO CITY — Malacañang appeared to be sending fewer invitations to live coverage and transcript of speeches of President Rodrigo Duterte given his habit of making controversial remarks.

Most of Mr. Duterte’s recent engagements, including the Petron Dealers’ mini convention here on Saturday, had been categorized as “close-in coverage only,” or open only to Malacañang media crew. But some of these were aired live on Facebook.

Mr. Duterte’s inauguration of the Armscor’s firing range here on Monday afternoon was also closed to coverage, but was later aired live on Facebook.

Reporter Argyll Barrios, a member of the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC), said excluding the media from coverage of the President’s official functions had affected his work.

In the dark

“Because we have no idea what really happened. The press releases don’t really give us much information,” Barrios said.

Another reporter pointed out that coverage of Mr. Duterte was important because his events and statements form part of history.

There was no comment from Malacañang on this.

Some of Mr. Duterte’s ad libs or jokes in his rambling speeches have been found to be tasteless, if not offensive:

“Hitler massacred 3 million Jews … there’s 3 million drug addicts. I’d be happy to slaughter them,” Mr. Duterte had said referring to his war on drugs. He later apologized to Jews.

Controversial quotes

Addressing former communist rebels on Feb. 7, Mr. Duterte, who was mayor before becoming president, told his audience: “Tell the soldiers: There’s a new order coming from the mayor. We won’t kill you. We will just shoot your vagina.” Malacañang later said it was meant as a sarcastic remark.

In front of soldiers enforcing his martial law in Mindanao, Mr. Duterte said: “If you had raped three, I will admit it, that’s on me.”

Mr. Duterte’s remarks, including jokes about rape, have often incensed activists, but have not dented his support base. Many Filipinos view his earthy language as part of his appeal.

Reporters also observed that they had been getting fewer transcripts of his speeches and more press statements instead.

Ready news

“Some reporters have complained of not receiving transcriptions lately,” said radio reporter Henry Uri, also a member of MPC.

Instead of receiving transcripts from Duterte’s meetings, reporters now only get press releases sent out by the Presidential News Desk.

“We cannot make use of these (PRs),” said a Mindanao-based contributor to a government-run news outfit who asked not to be named.

In the past, Malacañang had been quick to send out transcripts from presidential speeches delivered in “private” events or other events not covered live either by Radio TV Malacañang or the People’s Television Network. —With a report from the wires