Senators unfazed by Duterte media snub

President elect Rodrigo Duterte delivers his speech during the thanksgiving party held at Crocodile Park, Ma-a, Davao City, June 4, 2016. PHOTO BY EDWIN BACASMAS

Senate President Franklin Drilon has expressed confidence that President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to boycott the media will come to pass, saying both need each other for the sake of democracy.

“This is one thing I can say: both the Office of the President and the media need each other,” Drilon said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday.

“I am certain that this will come to pass and we will all realize that both the Office of the President and the media will have to work with each other for the sake of our democracy,” he added.

Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III were not also alarmed by Duterte’s decision not to grant media interviews until the end of his term, noting that even previous presidents rarely gave a regular press conference.

“Maybe that’s better para maka focus na sa trabaho ang president (So the president could focus on his work). Mahirap kung mauubos ang oras sa press con (It would be difficult if his time would be consumed by press cons),” Angara said in a text message to reporters.

“If I remember correctly, past presidents before PNoy (President Benigno Aquino III’s nickname) gave press cons maybe once a week and the rest of the time, it was the president’s spokespersons taking care of the media’s concerns,” he said.

Sotto echoed Angara’s statement, saying: “Except for very rare occasions, wala naman talagang presidente na madalas magprescon (there is no presidente who regularly holds press cons). Yung mga spokesman na lang nya usually (The spokesman does it usually.).”

Duterte has decided to shun the media in response to an international press group’s, Reporters Without Borders (RWB), call to boycott his news briefing after his remark that some journalists were slain because they were corrupt.

READ: Boycott Duterte’s press briefings, media watchdog urges PH journos

“Sorry ha, talagang ano… boycott talaga (I’m sorry but it would really be a boycott),” the reports quoted Duterte as saying.

“Ayoko na (I don’t want to do it anymore). Ang interview maraming mali, maraming criticisms (An interview has many mistakes and criticisms). No interview, no criticism. No wrong statement, no nothing. I’ll shut up, ayoko na talaga (I really don’t want to do it anymore),” he said. RAM

READ: Duterte: No media interviews until the end of my term