Duterte: Rappler 'illegitimate' agency

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday spoke for the first time about the recent ban imposed by his office on a media outfit and its reporter, saying that the government corporate regulator has ruled that it’s not a legitimate agency.

According to the president, news agency Rappler and its Palace reporter Pia Ranada would be allowed back in Malacañang if the Securities and Exchange Commission would reverse its earlier decision to cancel its corporate registration.

Asked if the decision to ban Ranada from the presidential complex would become a precedent in banning other reporters covering him, Duterte said, “No, because it is not a legitimate agency, according to SEC. I am now invoking executive action based on the SEC ruling.”

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“If it says that Rappler is legitimate, then come back in. I don’t have a problem with that,” Duterte said. 

Weeks ago, the SEC canceled the corporate license of Rappler after it supposedly violated the country’s constitutional prohibition on foreign ownership of media companies, a charge that it denied and is challenging before a court.

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The president also repeated his claim that Rappler was sponsored by Central Intelligence Division of the United States, an assertion that the news agency already rejected.

He said that Rappler, which has been critical in its coverage of Duterte, his men and his policies since he assumed office in June 2016, took every chance to “undermine” him.

“The CIA has been known, if you would read Rappler, it takes every chance to undermine you. That is the history of America, CIA and they take care of dissenters,” the chief executive said.

On Tuesday, Ranada was initially denied entry to the palace and was eventually told that she would be allowed to enter only the New Executive Building where Malacañang reporters were stationed.

Then on Wednesday, the presidential palace expanded the ban to the whole of the complex. 

The palace said that the prohibition on Ranada, Rappler and its chief Maria Ressa was because of the loss of trust following the news outfit’s supposed publication of so-called “fake news.”

Duterte’s explanation largely echoed that initial statement from Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea who said that the president, although reluctant to do so, had no choice but to implement the SEC directive. 

Then, in a radio interview, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the ban on Ranada was due to the president’s irritation with her and her outfit for its publication of false stories.

On Monday, Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go appeared before the Senate to deny accusations that he tried to interfere in the Navy’s multibillion frigate deal on behalf of a company. This came after the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Rappler released stories on the alleged intervention of Go.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and international rights watchdog Human Rights Watch have both condemned the move, with the New York-based group claiming that his “portended” another Duterte assault on the Philippine media. 

READ: NUJP: Palace ban on Rappler reporter shows 'extreme pettiness'

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