Duterte denies tapping Cambridge Analytica during 2016 campaign
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday denied having dealt with the British political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica, during the 2016 elections.
Facebook had earlier said that 1.2 million Filipinos were among 87 million users worldwide whose data were “improperly shared” by Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm.
“Wala man akong alam. Hindi ko man kilala ‘yan,” Duterte said in a press conference at the Davao International Airport upon his arrival from Hong Kong.
“‘Wag ka maniwala niyang Cambridge-Cambridge na ‘yan. Hindi ako naniwala niyan,” he added.
The President said his campaign during the last election was “simple” and did not have to pay the services of Cambridge Analytica.
“Wala akong Cambridge-Cambridge, Oxford, basta ‘yung akin, kampanya, simple lang,” he said
Article continues after this advertisement“Tsaka bakit ako magbayad sa mga ugok na taga-Cambridge ang magtrabaho para sa kampanya ko? Mas lalo akong matalo niyan,” he asked. “T** i** Cambridge. Ako magbayad sa’yo, matalo pa ako. Wala ‘yan. Kalokohan ‘yan.”
Article continues after this advertisementPhotos have earlier circulated, showing the head of Cambridge Analytica, Alexander Nix, meeting with cousins Pompee La Viña and Peter Tiu La Viña, key members of President Duterte’s campaign team in the 2016 elections.
President Duterte’s campaign team has credited social media for his landslide victory in the May 2016 national elections but has denied any links with Cambridge Analytica.
Malacañang on Tuesday also dismissed speculations that Duterte had benefited from the improper sharing of data of Cambridge Analytica, saying the President “won the election fair and square with an overwhelming mandate of over 16 million votes.”
READ: Cambridge Analytica issue: Palace says Duterte won fair and square /muf
