Lorenzana: PSG chief’s remarks on Rappler reporter uncalled for

MANILA, Philippines — Embattled Rappler reporter Pia Ranada found an ally in no less than Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who described yesterday’s statement made by the commander of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) directed to her as uncalled for. 

Lorenzana said that PSG commander Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy’s saying Ranada should be thankful that PSG personnel did not harm her was off the mark.

Ranada covers the Malacañang beat for Rappler.

“Whatever Rappler’s offense is, the PSG had no right to harm Rappler’s people nor threaten them,” Lorenzana said in a text message to one of the Camp Aguinaldo reporters when asked to comment on the incident.

Ranada’s rift with the PSG started the other day when she was initially barred from entering Malacañang’s New Executive Building (NEB) after she was banned from covering a Palace event, supposedly on orders coming from the “higher-ups.”

After the incident, when Ranada asked the guard on duty for an explanation on who gave the order to ban her from Malacañang, Dagoy took issue with the reporter’s actions. 

“Huwag ninyo ganunin, sumusunod sa orders lang ‘yan. Pasalamat kayo hindi kayo sinaktan sa pagbabastos na ginawa nyo (Don’t treat them like that, they’re just following orders. You should be thankful they did not harm you for being ill-mannered),” Dagoy was quoted as saying in his interview with Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson.

Rappler has earned the ire of President Duterte for its supposed biased and malicious reporting against his government. 

Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Secretary Christopher “Bong” Go has even tagged Rappler as the bearer of fake news.

Go specifically took offense at Rappler’s report that cited an endorsement letter coming from his office to the defense department, that he interfered with the now controversial multibillion-peso frigate acquisition project of the Philippine Navy.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has revoked Rappler’s registration over an ownership issue, on the grounds that the online media outfit is foreign-owned.

Rappler has questioned the SEC decision before the Court of Appeals (CA). 

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea then said that because of the SEC decision revoking Rappler’s registration, Rappler has lost its Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) accreditation.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, for his part, said Rappler should instead join the ranks of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, based on SEC findings that the online media outfit is foreign-owned.

Betrayed, pissed

The President felt betrayed by Ranada, whom he treated like his granddaughter, Malacañang said yesterday, as it maintained that the news outlet cannot cover the Palace until it fixes its ownership issue. 

Roque said Ranada has been peddling “fake news” and has lost the trust of Duterte.

“But she continued to defend fake news. There is no more reason for her to stay in Malacañang if she only delivers fake news,” Roque told GMA News. 

In a separate interview, Roque said Duterte was pissed off by Ranada and Rappler is paying the price of losing the trust of the President. 

“What she cannot have is access to the President because the President is pissed off with her,” Roque told radio station dzMM. 

While Roque claimed that the loss of access had something to do with Duterte’s anger towards Rappler, Medialdea said the President was just implementing an order revoking the registration of the online news outlet. 

Roque said the SEC decision would be implemented unless Rappler secures a temporary restraining order from the court or if it proves that it is owned by Filipinos. He added that the Duterte administration did not implement the SEC decision at once. 

“We could have earlier disallowed…Ranada from entering Malacañang when the SEC decision was handed down if our intent is to infringe on press freedom. However, we allowed (her) to continue performing her work assignments unimpeded, notwithstanding that trust with the news source had already been adversely affected, in the hope that this would be restored,” he said. 

Rappler was also given ample time to avail of legal remedies, according to Roque.

Despite its legal woes, Rappler will continue to be a member of the MPC until the CA issues a final ruling on the SEC ruling. 

In a statement, the MPC maintained that as an independent organization of journalists, it has the prerogative to accept, suspend or revoke membership.  

“Rappler will remain a member…unless the (CA) upholds the (SEC) decision,” it said. – Alexis Romero, Jess Diaz, Edu Punay, Elizabath Marcelo, Emmanuel Tupas

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