Duterte to media: ‘I’m tempted to show you dirty finger’

Front-running presidential candidate Mayor Rodrigo Duterte gestures at photographers to move back prior to voting in a polling precinct at Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School at Matina district, his hometown in Davao city in southern Philippines Monday, May 9, 2016. Duterte was the last to vote among five presidential hopefuls. AP

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Monday midnight attacked the Philippine media at length as he pulled away from his rivals and secured a huge lead in the presidential race.

Anti-crime hardliner Duterte spoke at length about how some newspapers and television networks produced “garbage” when they published and aired the claims of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that he was keeping hundreds millions of dollars in his bank accounts.

“Those are the garbage that some networks and broad newspapers also adopted,” Duterte said.

READ: Duterte hits media for sensationalism, bias

During the campaign period, Duterte has been quiet on the media’s negative stories about him.

Speaking at sect leader Apollo Quiboloy’s television show on Sonshine TV, Duterte spoke at length against what he said was the media’s “agenda to destroy” him.

“These guys printed the story on the front page without bothering to verify. Some in the properties there are listed under the name of Duterte and I really do not know why I have an account.. of almost.. Ang lupa ko umabot pa ng Dipolog (My lands apparently have reached Dipolog),” Duterte said.

“I am tempted to show a dirty finger to you,” Duterte said, noting that he has been expecting attacks against him on newspapers’ editorial articles. CDG/rga

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