Palace: President has no links with Rappler chief’s accuser

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte has no links with the businessman who filed a cyberlibel case against Rappler chief executive officer and journalist Maria Ressa.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the denial after an article from the Pinoy Ako Blog claimed that businessman Wilfredo Keng’s Century Peak Metals Holdings Corp. has secured billions of pesos worth of projects, including a P10.9 billion cement manufacturing plant and a massive reclamation project in Cavite.

“Even assuming that those facts you stated are correct, it doesn’t follow that the President will know this particular person,” Panelo said.

Panelo said the President does not interfere with the departments unless there are complaints of corruption.

“You must remember that the policy of the President is he does not interfere with the Department heads relative to their governance of their departments. So, ang nakakakilala sa kanila – kung kilala man sila – ay iyong mga department heads,” he said.

“Si Presidente ang interest lang palagi, pag may reklamo ng korapsyon in connection with any dealings with every department, doon siya nakikialam. So, hindi talaga kilala,” Panelo added.

Duterte earlier denied that he knew Keng.

READ: Duterte: I don’t know businessman who filed case vs Maria Ressa

Keng filed a cyberlibel case against Ressa and Rappler over a 2012 article, which he claimed was “clearly defamatory.”

This led to the arrest of Ressa last Wednesday by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 46.

Ressa posted a P100,000 bail on Thursday.  / gsg