MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) on Tuesday said it is not earning from its reports, including the one on the wealth of the family of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“We’re a non-profit media agency, so parang ang mga istorya ng PCIJ actually is sariling pondo ang ginagamit (We are a non-profit media agency. The money we use for our stories come from our own funds),” PCIJ Executive Director Malou Mangaha said in an interview over radio station DZMM.
Duterte earlier called out investigative journalists for receiving payoffs, following the release of a series of PCIJ reports questioning the source of the presidential family’s wealth.
READ: Duterte to investigative journalists: ‘Pera-pera lang’
Mangahas also insisted that investigative journalists have the freedom to write about pressing issues in the society.
“We do, however, have a freedom to write important stories na may saysay sa buhay natin (We do, however, have a freedom to write important stories relevant to our lives),” Mangahas said.
The recent PCIJ reports claim that the President’s Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), as well as those of his children, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Paolo Duterte, reported “big spikes” while serving in public office.
The reports added that the Duterte family had undisclosed businesses and an unregistered law firm.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, however, said that “President’s critics and detractors had been nitpicking on the President’s SALN,” adding that critics “tried to make an issue out of even the minutest detail in hopes to pin the President for some wrongdoing.”
Mangahas said that PCIJ also wrote stories on other Philippine presidents as well, from President Corazon Aquino to President Benigno C. Aquino III.
“Hindi po ito especially different. Ginagawa talaga ito ng PCIJ at hindi lang sila, pati mga huwes ng Korte Suprema at pati mga lider ng Congress ([The Duterte story] is not different. Presidents are not the only ones we write about. We also cover the judges at the Supreme Court and the leaders of the Congress),” Mangahas said.
“Lahat nga ho ng pangulo ay nagtampo sa PCIJ (All presidents have been upset with PCIJ),” she added./gsg