Category: Media

Duterte Revisited: What he said in 2001 about drugs, vigilantes

mcmangahas

By Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews

Duterte Revisited

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 29 June) — Days before President-elect Rodrigo Roa Duterte declared a boycott of the media on June 2, 2016, MindaNews had asked the first Mindanawon to govern this country of 100.98 million, for a sit-down interview, as it had asked him in the past, on major issues confronting this city of 1.63 million.

Arrangements were made with Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Duterte’s Executive Assistant, for “A Day with the President-elect” where the interview would be done after lunch (which is usually when his day begins) and the MindaNews team would follow him in his next schedules until his day would end at dawn.

June 2, however, turned out to be his last press conference. Immediately thereafter, journalists (national, international, and yes, local) were barred from entering the compound of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Panacan, where the Presidential Guesthouse (dubbed under the Arroyo administration as “Malacañang of the South” and now popularly referred to as “Panacañang”) is located.

When he will lift his boycott, no one can say for now. He has repeatedly said in speeches after June 2 that he would not talk to media until the end of his six-year term.

In lieu of what would have been a Q and A that MindaNews would have published in the run-up to his oath-taking as President, we are re-publishing this Q and A done in November 2001, shortly after Duterte announced in his Sunday TV program, “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” (From the Masses, For the Masses), the names of 500 persons who he said could help the city in its fight against drugs. At the time of the interview, at least four of those on the list had been killed or ended up dead. Another 17 suspected drug pushers and celfone snatchers, four of them minors, were eventually slain soon after.

Between 2001 and 2016, Duterte had been investigated several times by the Commission on Human Rights, including a 2009 probe by then CHR chair and now Senator Leila de Lima, and other international human rights groups. But no charges have been filed against him.

Fifteen years had lapsed since MindaNews ran this interview with Duterte, who prefers to be called “Mayor of the Philippines” instead of “President.”

In his own words, here is Mayor-President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, interviewed in 2001 but speaking like he does today.
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Duterte Revisited: What he said in 2001
By Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews
First of Three Parts
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28 November 2001: “Pinaka-unfair sa lahat ng krimen ang drugs”
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MANY in Davao City were “shocked,” to say the least, to see their controversial mayor on national television late Tuesday night last week, talking tough (his expletives unedited), toting a gun and kicking the corpse of a suspected drug pusher reportedly killed by the vigilante group, “Davao Death Squad” (DDS).

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, 56, knew he’d be featured on “The Probe Team” but didn’t watch it, claiming he doesn’t want to watch himself on TV or listen to the radio.

Duterte has repeatedly said he doesn’t give a damn what his critics say about him. But among millions of viewers that Tuesday night, the only person whose feedback he cared about was Sara, his only daughter who is studying Law in Manila.

“She said it was bad enough that the expletives I uttered were not edited… She said ‘you were portrayed somehow as being linked to the DDS by the way you framed your answers,'” Duterte said.

“I was quick to point out to my daughter that if it’s a matter of government abetting the killings or having sponsored the slayings or encouraged or had taken initiatives, it’s absolutely false because the mayorship or I had nothing to do with it. Pero sinasakyan ko… because to be really truthful and honest about it, I would rather see criminals dead than innocent victims die, being killed senselessly.”

He then cited several cases of killings by people, including minors, under the influence of drugs.

Last month, Duterte announced in his Sunday TV show the names of 500 people whom he said could help the city in its fight against drugs. At least four of those on the list had been killed or ended up dead.

At least 17 suspected drug pushers and celfone snatchers, four of them minors, were killed by suspected vigilantes last month. Since 1995, at least 150 persons have been reported to have been felled by the vigilantes.

That his name is being linked with the DDS does not seem to bother Duterte.

A government prosecutor (from 1977 to 1986), Duterte was named OIC Vice Mayor of Davao City in 1986, was mayor from 1988 to 1998, moved on to become congressman of the first district and reclaimed the mayoralty this year.

The day after “The Probe Team” featured the vigilante killings, Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla wrote a pastoral letter, “Thou shall not kill,” made public last Sunday through the masses in all parishes. The letter finally broke the “long silence” of the Church on the vigilante killings in the city.

But who are the vigilantes? Is Duterte behind them? Is he their godfather?

Duterte sat down with MindaNews’ Carolyn O. Arguillas one evening last week to answer these and more.

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Excerpts from the interview follow:

Q. Why did you make that list public?
A. I was appealing to the patriotism, the civic spirit I might rekindle in the minds, hearts of these people. (Also) to put them on guard (that) we know something about you (so) you stop it. Second, the community must know. For example, neighbor mo..

Q. But it’s being viewed as witchhunting. A number of those on the list…
A. No it’s not withchunting. There was a process that we followed. Of the five families who were outraged by my announcement and who came to me really angry, after I showed them the proof…. yung isa gusto pa nya suntukin sa harap ko yung anak nya… Besides, I laid the predicate in my announcement. I said I’d like to mention the names of persons here in the city… who can be of help to us if they would just be patriotic enough to help government and try to save the generations from being devastated by drugs.

Q. But the list, it is said, spared the rich, that most of those on the list are poor, a number of them minors…
A. It’s not a matter of minor or a person of age. That’s what I was trying to explain to ‘The Probe Team.’ Because..that guy who shot and killed that girl (whose celfone was snatched inside a taxi), he was only 17. When the mind is devastated by drugs, the age doesn’t really make a difference, whether you are 17, 50 or 70. When you go crazy, you go crazy. (Age) does not count anymore. Most of these are aged 18, 19, either sinasaksak nila yung mga estudyante dyan … or binabaril….

Q. I think one of the reasons why you are being linked to the DDS is because the killings stopped during the term of (then Mayor Benjamin) de Guzman and returned when you came back.
A. Hindi baya. Remember that de Guzman filed a case against this priest because he declared to the world that de Guzman is the head of a death squad that at that time killed two snatchers? I hope that they would temper their conclusions about me. Pero kung sabihin mo na naawa ako (sa victims), sinabi ko naman eh, do not ask for a tear. I never shed tears for mga ganong klaseng tao.

Q. Is that the solution? Finishing them off?
A. No it’s not. Killing can never be the solution to what ails this country.

Q. What’s the solution?
A. ..we have to try to mature as a nation and add more policemen. For example, for the city of Davao, so I can patrol and build a case against them individually, I would need about 5,000 policemen which we cannot have, and improve police methods, yung mga night vision and maybe listening devices which unfortunately we cannot afford for the next 10 years or so.

Duterte on Killings

Q. There was a dialogue between teenage gang members and some legislators. The teeners said some of them got hooked to drugs because of policemen pushing drugs, that they became indebted to the policemen so they became user-pusher.
A. I do not know of any policeman direkta na ganon. But if (there) is, then he’s a dead policeman…

Q. A UN agency on drug control has said the city government should..
A. I don’t give a sh_t what they say. I don’t have a treaty with them.

Q. You’re not bothered about people refering to you as the godfather of DDS?
A. No. Because it’s not true. So if the truth will set you free, I am free because there is no such thing as a government-sponsored killing in the city.

Q. Who are the vigilantes?
A. I really do not know. A guy who went public in a newspaper interview said he’s a former rebel and he claims it is composed of former rebels and policemen. I even suffered a rebuke (that the) mayor is putting up a time limit that is not realistic. So may timetable pala sila… their own timetable.

Q. If you’re saying it’s not you, then who’s behind these vigilantes?
A. Yung mga tatay na hindi tumatanggap ng ganon. Maybe they were just waiting for somebody na kakampi nila dyan who also nurtures this kind of outrage sa drugs…

Q. Rich?
A. Maybe. You cannot move if you do not have the money. In all probability, these are people who have the means to pay (the vigilantes) at kung totoo yung sinasabi ng lumabas sa newspaper, maybe yung may tinamaan talaga (yung mga anak)… Ako personally, personally ha — not as mayor because may oath of office ka pagka mayor ka, you protect the Constitution, follow the Constitution, protect everyone’s rights — but if I were an ordinary citizen of this city tapos tinamaan ang anak ko, maybe ganon din ang gagawin ko. Talagang hihirit ako, put–nang yan hihiritan ko yan. I mean it’s not really fair. It’s not fair… Rich or poor, ang lahat ng efforts mo sa buhay nandon sa anak mo… Lahat tayo, corny man pakinggan, we do not even live, we exist for our children…. lahat ng efforts mo, pera mo nandoon sa bata, eskuela …… Mas gusto ko pa yang kidnapping pati hold-up. Ikidnap mo anak ko, isauli mo lang, maghingi ka ng pera, babayaran kita, then the next time I will just really guard my children with my life… Put–na itong drugs, pagsinabit mo ang anak ko, I have lost the child forever. He loses his mind, he loses his future…you leave with me a goddamn criminal in the making, kasi pag wala nang pera, wala nang manakaw sa akin, magnanakaw yan sa iba, maghoholdup sa iba, magre-rape yan, maghohostage… Pinaka-unfair sa lahat ng krimen ang drugs. Meron pa dito sa Davao, hindi ko lang sabihin ang (pangalan), well-to-do, ni-rape nya yung sister, pinasok nya sa kwarto, pag pasok ng tatay pati nanay, tinutukan nya ng (cal.) 45 na baril… I’m sure pag nabasa nya (ito), malaman nya na alam ko.

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DUTERTE REVISITED: What he said in 2001

By Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews
Second of Three Parts
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29 November 2001: “I will even shoot my son in front of you”
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Q. They’re saying your son, your relatives are also involved in drugs.
A. ..Pati ako raw… Nag-research ako, and I studied the matter very carefully, seriously. Sinabi ko sa anak ko (Paolo), ‘wag na wag kang pumasok dyan sa put–nang droga na yan kasi gagawain kitang example. Kung kaya kong mag-resign (nung) nanuntok ka lang, kaya kitang patayin kung…hiyain mo ako.’ I resigned (as congressman) for a very trivial reason…. nanuntok (ang anak ko) ng security guard tapos inatake ako kay hindi maka-file (ng kaso) kasi daw congresman ang tatay….di mag-resign tayo so you can file charges. Unfortunately, nobody accepted my resignation but I was ready to go down.

This time I’m ready. Just produce a credible and true witness (that my son is involved in drugs) and I’m going to resign as mayor of Davao City and I will shoot my son in front of you. Siguraduhin mo lang yan kay pag hindi, ikaw talaga babarilin ko. Yan ang trade off ko sa iyo. I will resign from the mayorship anytime. I don’t have any illusions dyan sa mayor mayor na ‘yan. I can always run again and win. I can sacrifice a few years. I can lose my child. Dalawa yang anak ko (na lalaki). May mga apo na ako na lalaki. I can lose (my son)…. Ngayon kung maniwala yung mga tao (that my son is into drugs) bahala ka. My son is there, you can ask him to go for a drug test .. but I will not insult my son by asking him publicly so kung sino yung interesado, kausapin ninyo anak ko. Just produce a true, credible witness against my son and I will resign. And I will even shoot him in front of you.

Q. Were you ever asked by Malacanang about the vigilante killings here?
A. Wala. Well, I know my style. In this game, you cannot afford to (be on) low profile (because if you do that), walang mangyari… Look at the three years (1998-2001). What did it produce? A very resurgent drug situation. So I had to go back all over again. Kaya nga sinabi ko kay (Local Governments) Sec. (Joey) Lina when they offered me the regional chairmanship of the Peace and Order Council — now I can make this public — I declined… Sabi ko, ‘maghanap na lang kayo (ng iba) dyan because you might not like my style. I have my own style of doing it.’ Sabi nila, ‘well as long as your style is legal and good then proceed.’ Sabagay, legal gud talaga yang ginagawa ko..

Q. Let me go back to the solution. Maturing as a people takes so long. What is the immediate solution?
A. I think we would require from kindergarten (to) college, a lecture everyday on the evil of drugs..

Q. Where is the supply of illegal drugs here coming from?
A. Cotabato and Marawi but we suspect that there’s a factory nearby which I’m not at liberty to divulge to you right now.

Q. Within the city?
A. No. Peripheral cities.

Q. Shabu?
A. .this guy who’s manufacturing it knows that I know and a lot of us in the law enforcement know.

Q. So how come you’re not raiding it if you know…
A. Well, one of these days, kung na-DDS yan, ah hindi ako yan..

Q. .. if you know, why don’t you go after him?
A. Because you have to have evidence. You cannot just approach him anywhere and everywhere. May militia ito na sarili nya. Ganyan man talaga yang mga druglords na big-time. Ito ang pinaka. As a matter of fact, pag ito ang nakuha ko, puede na akong mag-retire pagka mayor..

Q. How bad is the problem of drugs here?
A. Very bad. Look at the list of 500… validated yan, 250 of them have been convicted, on parole or on bail. Yan ngang mahirap sa problema sa drugs…kasi pag-evaluate, assess na kung puede ba sya sa probation, good behavior is enough….automatic ang probation…. paglabas, babalik na naman (sa droga).

Q. What about rehabilitation? You don’t believe in rehab?
A. Wala tayo dito… next year baka maghingi ako kay Presidente… for a rehab dito sa Davao, regional (rehabilitation center). Because a rehab for that kind of, actually it’s a sickness eh, you would need a prison. Otherwise mag-eskapo yan.

Q. A prison?
A. Because when they are caught, they are not tried (in court)… they now opt to be treated… pag nilagay mo yan sa bintana na walang (rehas), a manibat na. Preso gyud na. Presohin mo talaga.

Duterte on Son

Q. How big will your rehabilitation center be?
A. …maybe I would need a facility good for 300 persons. Hindi halfway house. It’s really a rehab center and it’s almost like a prison.

Q. But rehab centers now don’t go into preso-preso..
A. Ah magsibat yan. Remember I was prosecutor for 11 years before I became a mayor. Sisibat yan…

Q. You were seen on TV kicking the corpse of..
A. Review again. Review again.

Q. I saw you on TV.
A. Nah, nah. May granada yon. Ano ako, gago, mag-upo ako..eh pag pumutok yan sa mukha ko?.. Kaya binaligtad ko yung katawan, nakita mo yung granada?

…Review the footage again, please. Hindi ako ganon kagago na may camera na magsipa. Ginanon ko kasi sabi, ‘Sir, ma-o nang gagunit ug granada.’

Q. In the meantime that the vigilantes are busy, what is your police doing?
A. Maybe they are also going after the vigilantes. Excuse me ha, yung footage na yon sayop yun. Tingnan mo uli. Binaligtad ko yung katawan because may granada. Eh kung mag-upo ako tapos ganunin ko yung katawan ko eh kung puputok yon? Mabuti nakatindig, at least pag nakita mo yung granada, di mulukso ka…

Q. October was the month of the killings. What was the feedback direct to you? More criticisms? More praises?
A. I don’t give a sh-t. I don’t give a sh-t whether they are for or against me. I was elected by the people after I promised them that I would go after kidnappers, druglords, drug pushers, holduppers and rapists… That’s already a non-issue to me. What they say for or against me, I don’t give a damn, I don’t give a sh-t. Tapos na yan. What I should do now is to honor my commitment because the people voted for me on the basis of my commitment and my promise to them… All things come naturally, infrastructure, public works. You can project the things you need. Crime? Can you project how many people will be contaminated by drugs, how many will be killed, how many girls will be raped?

Q. What’s the drug profile here like? Does it cut across..
A. Malala dito. Even professionals…Hayun, nasira ang mga pamilya.

Q. You said you’re not behind it but “sinasakyan” mo lang. But due process requires.
A. Due process is the thing that I should be following when I do it. Alam mo itong mga vigilantes….and it is really true for any human behavior…. sabihin mo ‘wag mong gawin yan,’ pag gusto nyang gawin, gagawin man talaga nya yan. Sabihin mo ‘hoy mga gago, mga buang, gawin nyo ito’ tapos ayaw naman nilang gawin, wala. So bahala kayo. Pag nahuli, sige, go ahead, kayong mga drug pushers, magtago na kayo, may mga gago on the loose pero kung mahuli ko kayong mga vigilantes, then that’s it. You also go to prison.

Q. You’re not gonna shoot them?
A. Well, I might just give them a dose of their own medicine. Ang sinasabi ko lang dito sa mga vigilantes, mga put–na na ito, ang problema ngayon, baka ipalusot ninyo yang patay ninyo, na pumatay lang kayo ng tao para sabihin lang ninyo na ‘ah drug pusher yan, druglord yan.’ Yan ang mahirap. One of these days I will catch up with them (vigilantes) and they’ll have to pay the price….because… whether it’s true or not, it’s already a crime but what makes it doubly sad for all of us is baka ang pinatay nila hindi nga (drug pusher). Then by the time I catch up…

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DUTERTE REVISITED: What he said in 2001
By Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews
Last of Three Parts
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November 30, 2001: “Totally, totally, totally unacceptable”
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Q. It seems like some other local chief executives are following your example.
A. Copycats. (Pause). Ah, example? Eh kung pinapatay ninyo, gago kayo, bawal yan. Salita lang, hanggang salita ka lang dapat dyan tapos let the others do it if they want. But if they are caught, again it’s your duty to punish them. Sakyan mo na lang….

Q. You’re not afraid? That druglords would..
A. I am, I am….there’s a report. I do not want to make it public, I do not want sympathies. But you always tread on dangerous paths… Kung wa tay suerte, di ganon na nga but I said I do what I have to do.

Q. If I were a druglord, I’d probably target you.
A. Mabuti yan kasi ako nakatutok rin sa iyo.

Q. I mean, if we follow their… you’re an obstacle.
A. Yes, because they’re losing business dito sa Davao…. They cannot really be based here — walang homegrown na criminal syndicate dito sa Davao — yan mapagyabang ko yan. Kidnapper, wala. Sa labas yan sila… sa peripheral cities. Yang kanilang pasok, they utilize the teenagers kasi alam nila teenagers dili mapreso eh…. always minors yang mga runners nila kasi pag minors, pagdating sa korte, suspended ang trial. The minor now goes to a halfway house, magsisibat yan or if at all they are caught… halos lahat na nahuli sa drugs… may perang pang bail (so) labas na naman yan sila, the following day laro naman. So if you’re doing brisk business in Davao, maski ganon ang delivery system mo, konti-konti lang, below 200 kasi bailable ang below 200 grams, masasaktan ka. And they (druglords) also correctly read me – nagpaplano rin ako sa kanila. Maybe one of these days, our paths will cross suddenly. It’s either their skin or mine… But I just want to assure everybody that there is no such thing as government-sponsored killing, initiated, abetted or encouraged by government. That is utterly false, I swear to God. Walang budget ang gobyerno para ganon.

Q. Narcopolitics is…
A. It will come.

Q. It’s not here?
A. I fear that one of these days it will just really come. Pagkaganon ang kinita nila, they can now support a mayor who’s a fencesitter…. Sa totoo lang, sino mang official nagsalita about drugs? Puro lip service…. ako, at least may ginagawa ako dito maski salita lang (na) “patayin ko kayo.”

Q. How much money on the average, daily, changes hands in the city in illegal drugs?
A. P600,000 to P700,000 daily. …may nahuli ngayon o yesterday, two kilos….I just came in from Manila. They will be presented tomorrow. Eh kung totoo yan, eh di pinatay ko na yan, laliman ka two kilos?

Q. (Laughs) Kay wala ka man, you were in Manila.
A. Cellular lang man na. Hello, hello..(laughs). Bu-ng. Pataka lang ka (laughs)

Q. P600,000 to 700,000? That’s a lot of money.
A. That’s a lot of battered brains. Kita mo, the city is cosmopolitan, 500 yung naglalaro dito, yung nasa listahan..half of that or a third of that validated na.

Q. Of the 500 on the list, how many approached you, aside from the families you mentioned.
A. More than a third of them naghingi ng tawad and … wanted their names delisted. Sabi ko, ‘no, your name stays there. All you have to do is to behave and I assure you nothing will happen.’ Because hindi naman talaga siguro papatay ang mga DDS kung wala ka na, gago naman tong mga vigilantes kung ganon. Sabi ko nga, pag nagkamali kayo na pinapatay na inosente eh di
pag inabot ko kayo, sila puy akong putulan ug ulo.

Q. Kung dili diay inosente, okay ra?
A. Hindi naman pero mas grabe kung (inosente). Doble nga eh. The fact that its’ being done is already sad. But to do it for personal reasons tapos i-attribute mo lang na drugs tapos wala naman pala, then you’re really sh-t.

Q. Isn’t this a slap on the face of the police?
A. No. The mayor has the operational control of the police. It’s a slap on me.

Q. It’s a slap on your face.
A. I admit full responsibility for the failure of the police to catch the vigilantes and

Duterte on Drugs

Q. And the drug pushers as well?
A. At least naghina na. That’s what I promised the people. I said you vote for me, I’ll do this. And sinakyan ko yung mga gago dyan (vigilantes). Maybe encouraged sila because bumalik na ako and they know that hardliner ako dyan sa crime. Sinakyan nila ako, sinakyan ko rin sila. Alang-alang magsabi ako na ‘o mga vigilantes, wag kayong pumatay, yung mga drug pushers dyan, hayaan lang ninyo, kung sa mahuli lang, kung hindi mahuli pasensyahan na lang.’ Ganon? Ah, patay ang syudad kung ganyan.. Lubong. With 1,600 policemen, 255,000 square hectares, 1.4 million population, you expect the police to solve every crime, not only to solve but build a case against each and every one of them? Ah, naghahanap ka ng langit nyan. That’s utopia. That’s Republic of Utopia. It’s not a republic anywhere in this planet.

Q. But we’re talking human rights here.
A. Human rights is there. Pero most of all, yang human rights is really for the defenseless, the hopeless, yung wala na silang matakbuhan. That’s my governance.

Q. Why do you like to be more chief of police than chief executive?
A. Because from my experience, if the place is not stable, forget about progress and development. I do not want to pull my own chair but to a modest degree, alam nyo na yan dito sa Davao, bakit gumanon tayo ngayon? Because I got rid of the kidnappers. I killed them all. Ah yang kidnappers, talagang I admitted it in public sa kampanya, pinutulan ko talaga ng ulo yung mga walanghiyang yan.

Q. Whatever you say, some people would still look at you as godfather…
A. Over and above all these loose talks, over and above all these allegations about these killings, about me as godfather, grandfather, uncle or whatever, the father of DDS, basta drugs, kidnapping, hold-up… rape tapos pinatay, those crimes are really unacceptable to me. Lalo na yang drugs because I’ve shown to you the dimensions of its inequity. You leave with me a problem which I have to solve for a lifetime…. Iwanan mo ako ng anak na criminal, na I do not know if he would rape his own mother, which is always happening everyday, pakinggan mo lang yang telebisyon, he will hostage his own sister, his own son, put a knife at the neck of an infant.

Ang drugs… totally, totally, and if I may say it for the third time, totally totally unacceptable sa akin, kaya pag andyan ka, ah, lalo na kung druglord ka, bigtime pusher ka, if you’re into kidnapping, if you are into hold-ups tapos ikaw mang-rape ka dyan.. if we happen to cross paths, if our journeys in life would cross each other, ah pasensya, pasensyahan na lang tayo. The President has declared that drugs is a national security problem… The Philippines may be poor… underdeveloped but it’s the only country I have and I love my country….pag this is the survival of my country, you go first… wag yung community, not the innocent people, not the families …

Q. This emphasis on ‘totally, totally totally unacceptable,’ where is this coming from? I mean, just to let the readers understand, what is your basis? A direct experience? Your son’s experience or what?
A. Well lahat na. No my son, wala, I can assure you (he’s not involved in drugs) otherwise I would resign. Yung unfairness…. Ayoko ng kidnapping. Ayoko gani yang magkapera ka sa mundong ito na hindi ka man lang mapagod, you make a living out of the expense of, specially the poor people. I don’t give a sh-t about the AB crowd. They can sniff heroin and shabu, they can afford it. Itong mahihirap, ito yung tinatamaan na talagang tama na wallop. Sila yung mga … very easy, vulnerable targets. Look, read again the newspapers. Before, every night may patay na taxi driver. Why, because they’re the most vulnerable targets. You don’t have money for the night for your shabu, okay, para ka ng taxi. You know he has the money, you can direct the guy to any place in Davao, secluded, silent, puede mong patayin kasi nakatalikod eh. O ngayon, may pinatay pa ba? See? From every night to nothing. Sabi ko totally, totally, totally because total ang focusing ko dyan. Sabi ko mahuli rin kita. One of these days, you watch out…just be patient, sabi nyo talagang malaki, I will get one but I will crucify him in front of the community. Maybe siguro that would be the first time that you can attribute something (to me) na ginagawa ng DDS. Pag talagang malaking-malaki na, ako na personally, wag na yung DDS. Tumabi kayo dyan, ako na mismo ang papapel, ako na ang magpahambug.

Q. How do you want history to remember you?
A. Simple. I did my duty, period. I did what I promised to the people, period. And I tried.

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Duterte on Leadership . PCIJ:MindaNews

Editor’s note: Fifteen years later, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is assuming the post as 16th President of the Philippines, the first Mindanawon to lead the country. The rehabilitation center he promised – the Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents does not resemble a prison. Before the city took over its operations, it was called Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents and was run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region XI with the support of the Regional Council for Welfare of Children & Youth.)

POOLED EDITORIAL: The Prez and The Press

Davinci Maru

NEWS organizations, student publications, and citizen advocates are publishing a pooled editorial today that tackles critical issues concerning on press freedom, the long-overdue passage of the Freedom of Information law, and incoming president Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial statement on the media killings.

Here is the full text of the editorial made by journalists from various media agencies in English, Filipino, and Bisaya.

THE PREZ AND THE PRESS

REGRETTABLY, the conversation between President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and the news media has turned sharp and shrill. All but lost in the noise is the two parties’ common duty in law and tradition to serve and to inform the Filipino people on issues, events and policies that affect their interest and welfare.

A president—all at once the chief executive, fount of foreign policy, manager of the national household, guardian of peace and order, commander of the uniformed services, and arbiter of policy conflicts—is the most important pivot of news and policy in the land. The President is mandated by law to lead the nation and to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance.

But the Constitution also upholds the citizens’ rights to free speech, free press, free expression, and peaceable assembly. It guarantees as well their right to due process, equality before the law, access to information, justice, and life.

As “the people’s private eye in the public arena,” the news media serve as custodian and gatekeeper of some of these rights. It’s a task that must be accomplished, and the President-elect’s predecessors as well as the nation’s journey from democracy to dictatorship and back illustrate why and how we must inquire into, inveigh against, and investigate questionable public officials and agencies, on the citizens’ behalf.

Thus, despite his vexation with those he calls the “lowlifes” and the “mouthpieces” in the news media, we must at all times cover him, his actions, and his statements. In truth, the news media must report more—and better—about him, his policies and his actions, with our reports guided by the best standards of accuracy, fairness and context.

This we must do even as we note at least two disturbing “messages” from the President-elect.

First, by saying that “corrupt journalists … vultures of journalism can die for all I care [because] you’re asking for it,” he mocks the memory of 172 journalists (at latest count) killed in the line of duty since democracy’s rebirth in 1986. The last report filed by a majority of those slain journalists precisely exposed crime and corruption, the same social ills that he says he wants to curb. Sadly, not a single mastermind or principal suspect in these murders, including state agents, local warlords, and criminal elements, have been held to account.

Second, whether intended or not, his volcanic language has dampened, indeed chilled, the daily reportage, so that journalists with valid, if testy, questions are seemingly forced to eat expletives by way of a response.

To be sure, corruption in the news media is as real as the 16-million vote that secured the victory of the President-elect. To be sure, corruption afflicts both individuals and agencies in the news media, and has evolved into a subculture with a language all its own.

As anywhere else, however, corruption in the news media is a supply-demand chain. One solution offers a key role for the incoming administration: Slay it at the source. The government’s own media agents, as well as politicians and corporate PRs who offer more than stories to get favorable coverage or to spike bad news, must, in the President-elect’s words, “stop it.” Another solution calls for quick action from media managers: Provide better pay and protection for journalists.

But here’s the thing: The institutional capture of the news media by politicians has begun in some parts of the country. Local politicians and their families have acquired ownership and control of print and broadcast media agencies, and certain local government units have bought block-time segments using public funds. The corruption of the news media thus also involves partisan political interests driving editorial processes—as the President-elect knows full well.

Yet for all the supposed differences, the news media and the President-elect have complete agreement on one factor: the urgency of a Freedom of Information Law. The issuance of an FOI executive order on Day One of his presidency should prevent the 17th Congress from tarrying in its task.

An FOI Law will provide the necessary institutional and legal framework for full and true functional links between transparency and accountability in government, and for the right of all Filipinos to access information in order to take part in nation-building.

We in the news media wish the incoming administration success in all its endeavors. As journalists and as citizens, we commit not only to do journalism right and better, but also to uphold and defend free speech, free press, free expression, and the people’s right to know.

 

ANG PANGULO AT ANG PRESS

NAKALULUNGKOT na kailan lang ay naging matalim at maanghang ang palitan ng pahayag ni President-elect Rodrigo Duterte at ng mga taga-media. Naipit sa usapang ito ang tungkulin ng dalawang panig, sa batas at sa kasaysayan, na kapwa magsilbi at magbigay ng impormasyon sa mga mamamayan ukol sa mga isyu, pangyayari, at patakaran na apekado ang kanilang interes at kagalingan.

Ang Pangulo — chief executive ng pamahalaan, bukal ng patakarang panlabas, tagapangasiwa ng pondong bayan, punong-bantay ng kapayapaan, pinuno ng sandatahang lakas at pulisya, at arbiter ng magkatunggaling pakatakaran — ang pinakamapagpasyang focus ng balita sa buong bayan. Sa batas, mandato niya ang mamuno at magtaguyod ng transparency, accountability, at mahusay na pamahalaan

Kasabay nito, itinataguyod din ng Saligang Batas ang karapatan ng mga mamamayan– free speech, free press, free expression, at peaceable assembly. Ginagarantiya din ng Konstituyon ang karapatan ng lahat ng Pilipino sa due process, pagkapantay-pantay sa batas, access to information, katarungan. at buhay.

Bilang “private eye” ng bayan sa public arena, ang news media ay nagsisilbing tanod at tagapangalaga ng ilan sa mga karapatang ito. Tungkulin ito na dapat gampanan ng mga taga-media. Sa dantaong paglalakabay ng Pilipinas mula demokrasya tungo sa diktadurya at balik dmokrasya, pinagtibay na ito ng news media. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit kinakailangang magsuri, magbusisi, at mag-imbestiga ang media ng mga opisyal at tanggapan ng pamahalaan, sa ngalan ng taumbayan.

Ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit nakatutok ng walang humpay ang news media sa bawat pahayag at aksyon ng Pangulo, sa kabila ng kanyang nasabing pagka-inis sa mga tinatawag niyang “lowlife” at “mouthpiece” sa hanay ng media. Ang totoo ay dapat mag-ulat ng mas pursigido at mas magaling ang news media tungkol kay President-elect Duterte at sa kanyang mga patakaran at hakbang, ayon sa mahusay na panuntunan ng accuracy, fairness, at context sa lahat ng balita at kwento nito.

Ito ang dapat gawin ng news media sa gitna ng dalawang nakababahalang “mensahe” ni President-elect Duterte.

Una, aniya niya, ang mga “corrupt journalists” daw, “kaya namamatay ‘yan… karamihan dyan nababayaran na o sobrahan nila ang atake… Hinihingi ‘nyo, pumapasok kayo sa illegal.If you are a vulture of journalism, that’s not my problem.”
Sa mensaheng ito, tila kinukutya ang ala-ala ng 172 journalists, ayon sa huling bilang, na pinaslang in the line of duty mula nang maibalik ang demokrasya nuonbg 1986. Ang huling ulat ng mrami mga napatay ay exposes ukol sa krimen at katiwalian — mga problemang bayan na nais mismong masawata ni President-elect Duterte. Nakakalulungkot na hanggang ngayon, wala ni isa mang mastermind o pangunahing suspek sa mga pagpatay na ito, kabilang na ang ilang ahente ng gobyerrno, warlord, at kriminal, ang naikulong at naparusahan na.

Ikalawa, sinasadya man o hindi, ito ang pahiwatig ng kanyang mala-bulkang pananalita: Dapat mag-ingat at mahintakutan ang mga nagbabalita. Sinasadya man o hindi, ang pahiwatig sa mga mamamahayag: Mahalaga man ngunit mapanuri ang tanbong, asahang bulyaw at mura ang aanihing sagot.

Walang duda, problema ang korapsyon sa news media. Kasing linaw ito ng 16 na milyong boto na nakuha ni President-elect sa nakaraang halalan. Ang totoo, hindi lang ilang indibidwal kundi pati ilang tanggapan ng media ay nasasangkot sa ganitong masamang gawi.

Pero kahit saan man tumingin, ang korapsyon sa media ay isang supply-demand chain din. May papel sa isang solusyon sa problem ang Duterte administration: Isara ang gripo ng korapsyon. Marapat na istorya lang at wala nang iba pang bagay ang manggaling sa mga media agent ng gobyerno, mga pulitiko, at mga PR sa pribadong sektor. Sa salita mismo ni President-elect Duterte: “Stop it.” Isa pang solusyon ang dapat agad na gampanan ng mga tagapangasiwa ng media: Ayusin ang benepisyo at bigyang proteksyon ang mga mamamahayag.

Gayunpaman, bahagi na rin ng korapsyon sa media ang puilitika. Sa ilang lugar sa Pilipinas, nagaganap na ang institutional capture ng media ng mga pulitiko. Hindi lang block-time segment sa broadcast media ang binibili ng ilang lokal na pamahalaan gamit ang pondong bayan. Hindi lang blocktime kundi buong istasyon ng radyo o diyaryo ang binibili at ngayo’y kontrolado na ng ng ilang lokal na pulitiko at mga angkan. Ang korapsyon sa media ay nababahiran din ng partisan political interest — ito ay batid mismo ni President-elect Duterte.

Sa kabila ng tila ‘di pagakaksundo sa ilang bagay, nagkakaisa ng lubos ang media at si President-elect Duterte sa isang usapin: Ang agarang pagpasa ng Freedom of Information Law. Nagako na siyang maglalabas ng isang FOI executive order sa unang araw ng kanyang pamumuno. Ito’y magsisilbing paniguro na mabilis na gagampanan ng 17th Congress sa tungkulin nitong isabatas ang FOI.

Ang FOI Law ay mahalagang institutional at legal framework sa pagyabong ng tunay at lubos na ugnayan ng transparency at accountability sa pamahalaan. Ito ay proteksyon din sa karapatan ng lahat ng Pilipino na makatanggap ng sapat na impormasyon para sa kanilang lubos paglahok sa mga usaping bayan.

Inaasahan namin ang tagumpay ng Duterte administration sa lahat ng tunguhin nito. Bilang mamahayag at mamamayan, tutuparin namin ang aming tungkulin na magbalita ng tumpak at mahusay. Kasabay nito, itataguyod at ipagtatanggol namin ang free speech, free press, free expression, at right to know na karapatan ng lahat ng Pilipino.

 

ANG PRESIDENTE UG ANG PRENSA

SUBO NGA panaglantugiay ang nahimong tagdanay tali sa media ug sa atong umalabot Presidente Rodrigo Duterte. Tungod niini, daw nakalimtan nga ang duruha managsama’ng may kaakuhan sa pagsilbi ug pagpahibalo sa mga isyu, panghitabo ug palisiya nga kalambigit ang interes sa katawhan.

Ang presidente—isip hepe ehekutibo, tuburan sa direksyon pakigrelasyon sa ubang nasud, tagdumala sa nasudnong panimalay, tigbalantay sa kahusay ug kalinaw, pangulo sa armadong kusog, ug tigpahapsay sa nanagbanging mga palisiya—ang pinakaimportanteng tinubdan sa pagbalita ug palisiya. Subay sa balaod, ang presidente ang mangulo sa nasud ug magpatunhay sa dayag, responsable, ug maayong panggamhanan.

Sa pikas bahin, ang Konstitusyon naglatid sa katungod sa katawhan sa gawasnong pagpamulong, prensa, pagpahayag, ug malinawong katiguman. Gisiguro usab niini ang katungod alang sa due process, patas nga pagtratar sa tanan ilalom sa balaod, kasayuran sa lakaw sa kagamhanan, hustisya, ug pagpakabuhi.

Isip mata sa katawhan, ang media ang tigbalantay ug tig-amoma niining mga katungod. Kini nga tahas angay panghingusgan tungod sa atong kasinatian sa naiaging mga presidente ug ang atong kasaysayan pagkahiagum sa diktadurya. Sa ngalan sa katawhan, ang media angay gawasnon nga manukiduki ug mobatikos sa mga opisyal sa kagamhanan, kung kinahanglan, aron matul-id ang mga kahiwian.

Busa, bisan paman sa kayugot nga gihambin sa atong umalabot presidente ngadto sa media, padayon kitang magsunod sa iyang matag lihok ug ipanulti. Angay nga mas palambuon pa sa media ang pagbalita mahitungod kaniya, sa iyang mga palisiya, ug sa iyang mga laraw, pinasubay sa mga lagda sa kahusto, kaangayan ug tukmang konteksto.

Pursigido kitang buhaton kini bisan pa sa duha ka makasubong mensahe sa umalabot nga Presidente.

Una, ang iyang pahayag nga gipangayo sa mga kurakot nga tigbalita ang kamatayon tungod sa ilang hiwing binuhatan. Dako kining insulto sa dungog sa 172 ka mga tigbalita nga namatay tungod sa ilang trabaho sukad 1986 dihang nahibalik ang demokrasya sa nasud. Tingale, ang ilang kasaypanan mao nga pursigido sila sa pagpanukiduki ug pagbutyag sa krimen ug korapsyon nga mao pod ang gusto masumpo sa atong umalabot nga Presidente. Subo kaayo nga hangtud karon, walay utok sa mga pagpamatay ang nataral sa hukmanan. Lakip sa mga akusado niining mga kaso mga ahente sa estado, mga warlord, ug mga grupo sa mga criminal nga kaabin ang mga anaa sa gahum.

Ikaduha, tinuyo man o dili, ang iyang mga gipanulti kabahin sa media nakakibhang sa kadasig sa mga tigbalita nga moharong aron makakuha’g tubag kabahin sa mga importanteng isyu kay basin pamalikas ang ilang maani.

Dakong kamatuoran ang korapsyon sa media, sama sa realidad sa 16 milyones nga boto nga iyang naangkon sa piniliay. Ang problema nagtunhay sa mga indibidwal ug sa mga ahensya sa media, ug lalum na ang giugatan kay aduna naman gani kaugalingong linggwahe ang mga nagpatunhay niini.

Apan ang korapsyon sa media susama sa merkado, dunay nanginahanglan sa serbisyo ug dunay tigsuplay sa maong serbisyo. Usa ka solusyon pwedeng mahimo sa umalabot nga administrasyon: ang pagpuo sa tinubdan sa korapsyon. Dakong kabahin sa korapsyon ang mga ahente sa gobierno uban sa mga pulitiko ug PRs sa mga korporasyon nga tuyo ang madayegon nga pagbalita bahin kanila o kaha negatibong pagbalita batok sa ilang mga kaatbang. Lain pang solusyon mao ang paghatag maayong panweldo ug benipisyo sa mga tigbalita.

Laing aspeto sa problema mao nga ang media outlets sa daghang lugar sa nasud gipanag-iya sa mga pulitiko, ug daghan sa mga local government units ang nanag-unang kliyente nga nagbuhi sa ilang operasyon pinaagi sa mga blocktime programs gamit ang kwarta sa katawhan. Dinhi, nalambod ang interes sa mga pulitiko sa unta gawasnong proseso sa pagbalita.

Taliwala niining tanan, ang media ug ang atong umalabot nga Presidente nagkasinabot sa usa ka importanteng punto: ang panginahanglan sa balaod alang sa Freedom of Information (FOI). Kung mapakanaug ang executive order alang niini sa pagsugod sa iyang pangatungdanan, naglaum kita nga dili na maglangay ang Kongreso nga ipasa kini isip balaod.

Ang balaod sa FOI maghatag og gambalay sa tiunay nga dayag ug responsableng pang-gobierno, ug magtuman sa katungod sa katawhan nga masayod ug busa manginlabot sa pagpadagan sa kagamhanan.

Kami sa media nanghinaut sa kalampusan sa umalabot nga administrasyon sa iyang mga gidahum nga kab-uton. Isip mga tigbalita ug mga lungsuranon, gisaad namo ang mapadayunong pagpalambo sa propesyon ug sa pagsunod-kanunay sa sugilanon sa katawhan ug sa nasud. Kami hugtanon pod nga mobarog alang sa gawasnong pagpamulong, gawasnong prensa, gawasnnong pagpadayag, ug sa katungod sa katawhan nga masayod.

(This pooled editorial is supported by the Philippine Press Institute, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation, Mindanao Cross, Mindanao Gold Star Daily, Sun.Star-Cagayan de Oro, The Journal, The Freeman, Bicol Today, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Kodao Productions, Bulatlat, Philippine Collegian, Eastern Vista, Pahayagang Balikas, Banat News, Northern Dispatch, Panguil Bay Monitor, Mindanao Monitor, Catarman Weekly Tribune, The Standard, Lanao del Norte Today, Panay Today, Pinoy Weekly and Blog Watch.)

 

 

Panelo wants to be ambassador to London?

Ellen

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo with reporters in Davao, June 8, 2016. Photo from Charie Villa.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo with reporters in Davao, June 8, 2016. Photo from Charie Villa.

We are going to miss Atty. Salvador Panelo as presidential spokesperson.

Incoming president Rodrigo Duterte has a new spokesperson in the person for Ernie Abella, a former pastor.

In the announcement of Peter Laviña, spokesman for the Duterte transition team, of the latest cabinet appointments in his Facebook page, he did not say whether Panelo will also remain as spokesperson with the appointment of Abella.

Sources at the Department of Foreign Affairs, however, said they have been told that Panelo has expressed interest to be the Philippine ambassador to the United Kingdom, which is currently being held by Evan Ralph Garcia, a career officer.

Garcia, who had held the position of undersecretary for Policy, assumed the London post recently.

I can just imagine Panelo as ambassador to London in his ripped jeans and red jacket. Mawiwindang ang London diplomatic community!

The new spokesperson of Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte, Ernie Abella, in his first press conference, June 14, 2016. From from ABS-CBN.

The new spokesperson of Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte, Ernie Abella, in his first press conference, June 14, 2016. From from ABS-CBN.

The appointment of Abella as spokesperson was announced two days after Clarissa Oben Evangelista, posted in Facebook an incident involving Panelo parking illegally in front of a drugstore in Greenhills, San Juan and covering his car with a Duterte tarpaulin.
Panelo denied he violated parking regulations of the commercial area and gave his own version of the incident.

Of the new spokesperson, Laviña said Abella “is a preacher and writes a column in Davao. “

A 2013 online post described Abella as “the former head pastor of The Jesus Fellowship. He is now a social entrepreneur.”

Laviña said Abella “was one of the best writers to defend Duterte in social media during the black propaganda attacks during the election.”

One of the articles Abella wrote, “Would Duterte make a good president?” was reproduced by Andy Uyboco in the Sun Star Davao June 4, 2015 issue.

In that article, he revealed an incident in the past when Duterte saved him.

Excerpts from Abella’s article:

“ I was kidnapped in 1996. I was a pastor then. And I had just inherited a small sum from my parents and was looking for a piece of property. And the real estate dealers led me to this secluded place where 5 ethnic men held me for ransom. As fate would have it, my colleagues went to Mayor Rody. And in a classic response, he called for the MNLF commanders in the city warning them, “If anything happens to that pastor, I will capture 3 of your imams.” (as retold to me later). Within 24 hours, I was released.

“I tell this story, not because I am an unquestioning supporter but because I understand that in a society in search for itself, we need a firm hand until such a time we can make difficult decisions for ourselves. Duterte is not a Jeffersonian Democrat and neither was Lee Kuan Yew. But both shared a clear vision of the way things could be.

“I cannot tell you about the personal morality of Mayor Duterte. I can tell you what he has publicly done – he has turned a backwater city into a global benchmark. And if he had wanted to steal us blind he would have left traces by now. He is not that sophisticated. He is that rarity – a plainspoken man who wants the world to work for everyone. Therein lies his greatness. He is an ordinary man with ordinary dreams – the dream of a better life.

‘What makes him great is his willingness to defend your right to a fair share – your share of a decent life, a happy home and a peaceful nation. I would vote for a man like that. I would persuade others to do so. Ninoy died so we could have that kind of a life. Rody is the kind of a person who will make sure we do.”

He has a blog: ernieabella.org

Why reporters are persistent in press conferences

Ellen

President -elect Rodrigo Duterte May 29 presscon. Lower photo shows GMA7's Mariz Umali asking a question.

President -elect Rodrigo Duterte May 29 presscon. Lower photo shows GMA7′s Mariz Umali asking a question.

In press conferences, there are times when reporters are persistent with their questioning, annoying the official especially if it’s on a topic that he wants to buried.

A reporter’s persistence is not for persistence’s sake. It is not caprice.

A reporter pursues a subject to clarify so that he or she can give the public the information correctly and clearly. Reporters always ask for categorical answers to avoid misinterpretation. Because it is the duty of the journalist to make sure that his or her reports are accurate- a basic in journalism.

Reporters covering President-elect Rodrigo Duterte have been criticized for being soft on him. Some, yes. Even fawning. But not all.
Watching his late night to mid-morning press conferences that are one or two hour monologues, I sympathize with reporters covering him. One needs not only an ample reserve of stamina but nerves of steel not to get intimidated by his manners which border rudeness.
Take the case of GMA-7 Mariz Umali, the subject of the president-elect’s wolf-whistling.

She had to raise her voice to ask her question, “How do you deal with cabinet secretaries who are not performing?” to get Duterte’s attention because no one was moderating the presscon. It was a free-for-all format.

Even when Duterte made that improper act and even said “Nagpapansin ka talaga, ano (You really want to be noticed.)” to the amusement of other people in the room, Umali remained focused and repeated her question until Duterte answered.

Same thing with Rappler’s Pia Ranada Robles, the subject of vicious posts in social media for her persistence in asking Duterte about the impropriety of his wolf-whistling considering that a Davao ordinance considers it a form of sexual harassment.
Here’s the transcript showing how Ranada-Robles stood her ground amid Duterte’s attempt to avoid the issue. (Note: Except for the last quote of Duterte, the transcript was by Rappler’s Paterno Esmaquel II)

Pia: Sir, we have this ordinance nga, the Women Development Code. In the ordinance, it states that catcalling, whistling – sorry, let me just read it, part of it: “Cursing, whistling, or calling a woman in public with words having dirty connotations or implications” is actually sexual harassment, so it seems as if you, uh—”

Duterte: (whistles)

Audience: (a few people laugh)

Duterte whistles during June 2 presscon

Duterte whistles during June 2 presscon

Duterte: You know, you don’t have any business stopping me. That is freedom of expression.

Pia: Sir, your own law says that there is a limit to expression.

Duterte: If you go overboard and you start to harass the woman.

Pia: Sir, the definition in the ordinance is “whistling,” so that’s already—
Duterte: Well, if you go, you cajole with the woman (whistles). “Miss, uh…” As a matter of fact, when I first saw you, I said… (whistles)

Audience: (silence)

Duterte: Go to another question. You cannot stop anybody from whistling.

Pia: Okay, Sir.

Duterte: But I would say, who gave you the right to presume that I was whistling because I saw you? You have to be in a room, kaisa ka lang, a man and you, and he would whistle (whistles).

Pia: So, Sir, you’re saying you were not whistling at Mariz during the time she asked her question?

Duterte: Of course not. That is, ano, objective, or is it subjective? Subjective?

Pia: No, Sir, because she was asking.

Duterte: You are guessing.

Pia: No, no, no, Sir. I’m not guessing. Because she was asking a question, and the question was directed at you, and your reply to her was a whistle. So unless you clarified that you were talking to someone else–

Duterte: I was exasperated by the question. Whistling is not a sexual thing (whistles again, then mumbles)…Wala nang hinto kundi magtanong.

Pia: Sir, for you it might not be sexual, but to others it might be. So the world does not revolve around your definition.

Duterte:Do not presume that you are the one. It belongs to the (intelligible). I would look at that woman there.

Like in any other profession, journalism has its own bad eggs, but many continue to adhere to the tenets of journalism which are to empower the people with information, give voice to the voiceless and hold those in power accountable.

It’s good to see the idealism and fire among the young journalists.

A tyrant won’t have it easy.

Transcript of the June 2 press conference. For Rana-Robles questions, start at 49:32:

Duterte spokesmen’s damage control statements add insult to injury

Ellen

To control the damage wrought by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s verbal assault on media during his press conference Tuesday justifying the extra-judicial killing of journalists, Peter Laviña, spokesman for Duterte’s transition team said media, his principal’s remarks were “taken out of context, misinterpreted, and misunderstood.”

That is adding insult to injury. That is like saying media did not report accurately Duterte’s statements.

Same thing with Duterte’s spokesman and press secretary Salvador Panelo’s statement that GMA-7 reporter Mariz Umali “should be complimented” for the president-elect wolf-whistling or cat-calling at her when she asked a question.


Panelo said:”Mayor Duterte is a very kind, playful individual. Pag siya’y pumito, ibig sabihin he’s fond of you, ibig sabihin mahal ka niya, kaya ka binibiro. Hindi po isang pambabastos yun. On the contrary, the receiver of that should be complimented.”
Matutuwa dahil binastos ka?

Umali’s husband Raffy Tima, also a GMA-7 reporter is not amused and definitely he does not consider it a compliment.

In his Facebook post, Tima said, “Catcalling my wife is wrong in so many levels. I expected that from a Mayor Duterte. I know his reputation well enough not to be shocked by it, but that does not make it right. For someone who espouses leadership by example, catcalling anyone in a press conference with all cameras trained on him defies logic. Then again, that’s Mayor Duterte.”

But what hurt Tima more was the reaction of people in the room: “What appalled me even more was how some people in the room reacted. Most laughed, others made teasing noise and basically urged the mayor to dish some more! And he did. I do hope none of them were journalists because if they were, shame on them.”

Tima further said, “When you see or hear anyone say something wrong you do not encourage it, you do the opposite. Or in that particular instance at least, they should have kept quiet and in their silence gave the message that what the mayor did was wrong. Some jokes are funny and should be laughed at. But disrespecting women is definitely not one of them.”

Definitely.

In fact, Duterte’s very own city’s Women Development Code as embodied in Davao City’s Ordinance No. 5004 and Executive Order No. 24 considers “Cursing, whistling, or calling a woman in public with words having dirty connotations or implications which tend to ridicule, humiliate, or embarrass the woman such as ‘puta (prostitute),’ ‘boring,’ ‘peste (pest),’ etc” a form of sexual harassment.

Media groups have expressed alarm over Duterte’s statements saying most of the journalists killed were corrupt. He said a mouthful to amplify his stand that “You won’t be killed if you don’t do anything wrong… If you are a journalist who is doing what is right, nobody will touch you, especially if (what you write) us true.”

Thanks to Manila Bulletin

Thanks to Manila Bulletin

Duterte’s statement is not supported by the cases of slain journalists in the Philippines (176 since 1986). The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines cites “the murders of Edgar Damalerio of Pagadian City, Marlene Esperat of Tacurong City, and Gerry Ortega of Puerto Princesa City, and, of course, the most heinous of all, the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan massacre, of which 32 of the 58 victims were media workers, making it not only the worst case of electoral violence in recent Philippine history but the single deadliest attack on journalists ever.”

And even if some of those journalists were corrupt, killing them is not justifiable. There are many ways to fight media corruption – report them to their editors and publisher. File cases against them.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the Paris-based organization that promotes and defends the freedom to be informed and to inform others throughout the world, is appalled by the Philippine president-elect’s statements. “Not only are these statements unworthy of a president but they could also be regarded as violations of the law on defamation or even the law on inciting hatred and violence,” said Benjamin Ismaïl, the head of RSF’s Asia-Pacific desk.

RSF urged Philippine media to demand an apology from Duterte and “to boycott the Duterte administration’s news conferences until the media community gets a public apology.”

Duterte went ballistic on RSF’s call to boycott his presscpn. In a two-hour long presscon Thursday night, Duterte dared media to boycott him.”“Putang ina sinabi ko mga ugok, putang ina I can lose the presidency, my life, my honor. Just don’t fuck with me. Huwag niyo na akong takutin. Boycott, boycott, leche kayo, edi mag-boycott kayo!”

I don’t agree to a media boycott. That would be reneging on your responsibility to inform the public of happenings that affect them.
This is not the first time that a Philippine president has insulted media. In 2014, in his visit to Brussels, the outgoing president, Benigno Aquino III , in defending his administration’s disappointing human rights record said, “For instance, in the media killings, some who used to work in media died. Did they die because they were investigative journalists? Were they exercising their profession in a responsible manner, living up to journalistic ethics? Or did they perish because of other reasons?”

During Gloria Arroyo’s time, it was her husband, Mike Arroyo, who mouthed the same lines.

Whether the journalist’s killing was work related or not, that is murder. Murder is a crime.

A president is supposed to fight crime, not encourage it.