‘Media making life hard for me’

BATANGAS CITY—President Benigno Aquino III has yet again turned his guns on the media and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, attacking them as he campaigned for administration standard-bearer Mar Roxas and the latter’s running mate, Leni Robredo.

Mr. Aquino told his audience of almost 6,000 at the Batangas City Sports Center Coliseum that the media were among those who make life difficult for a president.

Columnists, the President lamented, cannot find anything good in whatever he does.

Mr. Aquino had said much the same thing in Dasmariñas, Cavite, last week, lamenting that the media liked to test those running for public office with questions they could not answer to show the candidates’ ineptitude.

“When you face the media, they will ask you a question that you can’t answer to show that you are incompetent. Even if you’re already dizzy, hungry, tired and browned by the sun, you still have to be perfect,” he said.

Wednesday, the President said the media had unfairly treated Roxas himself, questioning among other things, the latter’s response in the aftermath of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” when he was still in the Cabinet, which Mr. Aquino defended.

Earlier Wednesday in Bay, Laguna, the President likened the Arroyo administration to a sour pineapple.

With 105 days left of his term, the President has not stopped referring to the previous administration’s alleged sins and how his predecessor had supposedly stunted the country’s growth and progress.

The President attended the 30th founding anniversary of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions.