Rody to media: Go ahead, criticize me

MANILA, Philippines – He has no animosity toward media, and he can take criticism as long as it is based on even “a semblance of truth.”

President Duterte opened his hourlong meeting with The STAR yesterday with this message, and ended it by saying, “Go ahead, criticize me. I’m just your worker.”

It marked the first time Duterte granted an exclusive interview to a media outlet since he assumed the presidency and after he announced he would no longer give interviews until the end of his term.

“There is no truth to the rumor that I have this animosity with the media,” Duterte said.

The President has had a love-hate relationship with the media.

Known for his frankness and lengthy press briefings, Duterte decided to boycott the media in June after he drew flak for his comment on the killing of journalists.

He told a press conference in Davao City that some slain journalists were involved in shady deals – a statement that some interpreted as an endorsement of media killings.

What ticked off Duterte, however, was the call of Paris-based Reporters Without Borders for Filipino journalists to boycott his press briefings until he issued an apology.

“Huwag tayong magbolahan (Let’s not fool each other). There are vultures pretending to be journalists and the problem here is every son of a bitch who claims to be a journalist and makes money out of extortion, once he is killed he is glorified as journalist,” Duterte told reporters last June 2.

“Go ahead, boycott me. As a matter of fact, I’m urging you to make this your last (press briefing) in Davao City,” he added.

On June 6, Duterte said he would no longer grant interviews to private media until the end of his term to avoid “wrong statements.”

The threat, however, was not carried out as Duterte decided to hold a press conference in Malacañang last Monday.

The President was in a good mood during the press briefing and was more than willing to entertain questions from reporters.

He even allowed Palace reporters to take selfies with him, a development widely seen as a restoration of his relationship with the press.

 Yesterday he told The STAR, “May pagkasuplado ako, lalo na pag biglain mo ako (I’m snobbish, especially when you spring a surprise on me).”