Pro-Duterte bloggers slam Roque for defending mainstream media

RJ ‘Thinking Pinoy’ Nieto blasted Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque for defending mainstream media. INQUIRER FILE

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque has earned the ire of pro-Duterte bloggers on the day he took his oath as President Rodrigo Duterte’s official mouthpiece.

RJ Nieto, owner of Facebook Page “Thinking Pinoy” and Sass Rogando Sasot slammed Roque after he defended the mainstream media and said he would explain to the rabid Duterte supporters or the so-called Duterte Diehard Supporters (DDS) the role of critical journalists.
Roque said he would explain to Uson and the President’s supporters that the media have been instrumental in exposing the anomalies of the past administration.
But this did not sit well with Nieto who said Roque should resign from his post.
“UMALIS KA DIYAN. AT HUWAG KA NANG UMASA SA 2019,” Nieto said in a Facebook post.
He said Duterte made the mistake of appointing him.
“Sinabi mo pang dapat pagsabihan ang DDS? Hoy, wala kang kakayahang utusan ang mga supporter ng pangulo,” he said.
Nieto said Roque was no different from the critics of Duterte.

“Hindi sila uto-uto at mas lalong hindi sila sunud-sunuran kahit kanino. Parang wala kang kinaiba sa mga kritiko ng presidente: ano ang tingin mo sa mga DDS, tanga at taga-oo lang?” he said.

He said supporters of Duterte have their own minds and Roque has no right to dictate on them.

Nieto said Roque was “nothing like my President.”

“Nasaan ang bayag mo Spox, nag leave of absence ba?” he said.
Sasot, meanwhile, also hit Roque for defending the mainstream media.

“Your job is to undo the damage being done by your legitimate media friends and not to police our criticisms,” Sasot said, apparently referring to Roque.

Sasot also hit Roque’s remarks, saying it was because of the critical media that exposed the past administration’s anomalies that Duterte gained support from the public.

“Duterte won because ordinary people campaigned for him. They were so relentless in countering the black propaganda being spread by your legitimate media friends Spox Roque. Hwag po ninyong lapastanganin ang kasaysayan by giving that credit to your legitimate media friends,” Sasot said.

Sought for comment, Uson said Monday that Roque should  also tell the media to respect netizens opinions too.

“Ang DDS ay may sariling pag-iisip. Mas maganda siguro po i-remind natin hindi lang ang mga DDS na resputuhin ang Media, i-remind din po sana  natin ang mga media na resputuhin din ang opinion ng netizens,” she said.

(The DDS have minds of their own. Maybe it’s better to remind not only the DDS to respect the media, but also remind those in media to respect the opinion of netizens.)

“May opinion ang media at may opinion din ang mga netizens. Galangin natin ng pareho at patas. Salamat po (Those in media have opinions and netizens have opinions too. Let’s respect both equally. Thank you),” she added.

Duterte had earlier said Roque was “able and competent” and that he would “carry my word to the public.” /cbb