Focap to Locsin: ‘Speak with civility’

Two media groups have issued their statements criticizing the country’s top diplomat over his offensive tweets aimed at a reporter of this news organization.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. drew flak for his response on Twitter to a tweet on Tuesday by Inquirer reporter Jhesset O. Enano, who was covering the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in Thailand which concluded on Tuesday.

Enano posted a photo of Locsin sitting in for President Duterte at the closing ceremony with this caption: “LOOK: Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. @teddyboylocsin sits with other world leaders at the closing ceremony of the 35th Asean Summit in Thailand. President Duterte appears to have skipped this event, too.”

This prompted the Department of Foreign Affairs chief to curse at Enano in his reply on Twitter.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) said, “Secretary Locsin can take up any issue with the media or any sector firmly. But needless to say, he has to speak with civility and within the bounds of basic human decency.”

“Anything beyond that is an unacceptable display of arrogance and coercion,” the Focap added.

“It’s ironic that [the expletive] comes from the country’s top diplomat and a former journalist,” the group said.

An earlier statement by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines  said it “denounces Locsin Jr.’s execrable arrogance and boorishness when he cursed [Enano] for doing her job.”

But Locsin tweeted on Thursday that it is Enano who should apologize.

“I will apologize to the lady [if] she apologizes to Duterte for her slanders and that idiot newspaper vows never to slant stories about him again. I have an inexhustible [sic] supply of scurrilities,” Locsin said.

“Her and the Inquirer’s president works his ass off for the country. Say sorry. Now,” he added.

Locsin, in a since deleted tweet, also cursed at reporter Marc Jayson Cayabyab of the Philippine Star, who tagged Locsin in connection with Section 4 of Republic Act No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.—WITH A REPORT FROM JULIE M. AURELIO