President Rodrigo Duterte was all praises for his most trusted aid Christopher “Bong” Go and even pushed for his senatorial bid, calling him “a man of principle and integrity.”
Unfortunately, he was just an impersonator of Duterte but Palace transcribers were initially convinced it was Duterte and sent a transcript of the radio interview to the media, attributing it to the President.
On Monday morning, the News and Information Bureau (NIB) of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) sent the supposed phone interview of Duterte with radio dzRH.
The transcript sent to reporters was titled ““INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE BY DEO MACALMA/RICA HERRA/ISYU/DZRH.”
During the interview, the impersonator of Duterte, who was identified as Jun Alegre, dzRH’s Bicol correspondent, praised Go as he pushed for his senatorial run.
“Itaas na ninyo ang kamay niyan. Itinaas ko na ang kamay niyan,” the impersonator said.
The impersonator even said he would “move Heaven and Earth” to vouch for Go’s competence and integrity.
“Hindi ito magtagal sa akin, kung hindi ito competent, hindi ko ito maasahan. Since, I was the Mayor of Davao,” he said.
“I will move Heaven and Earth para lang, sabihin ko, patunayan ko sa inyo, that this man is a man of principle and integrity ay talagang sabi ko ito sa inyo,” he added.
At least two news outfits have already reported the interview but later took it down from their website.
But two hours after, the NIB sent an erratum to media for attributing the radio interview to the real Duterte.
“The transcription titled “Interview with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte” by Deo Macalma and Rica Herrera over DZRH on March 19, 2018 should read “Interview with Impersonator of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.” Apologies for the error-NIB Transcription Section,” the erratum read.
Henry Uri, Malacanang reporter of dzRH confirmed the impersonator was Jun Alegre, their correspondent in Bicol.
“Matagal na po niya ginagaya sa program niya sa Naga si PRRD [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte]. Kinuha lang namin na regular segment every morning at 9, almost 3 months na. Katuwaan lang kanina but aware naman si SAP [Special Assistant to the President], sinabi namin na impersonator lang yun,” Uri said.
DZRH Assistant Vice President for News and Public Affairs Cesar Chavez also confirmed that the one being interviewed was merely a Duterte impersonator. “President Lodi’ in the person of dzRH reporter in Legaspi Jun Alegre has been doing this segment in Deo Macalma’s program “Isyu” since 3 months,” Chavez said. /muf