WATCH: Duterte says he believes in freedom of the press

MANILA, Philippines — Despite previously throwing antagonistic remarks at the media, President Rodrigo Duterte stressed on Monday that he believes in the free press.

Speaking before officials of the National Press Club in Malacanang, Duterte said that he is willing to defend freedom of expression.

"I believe in the right to feasibly assemble to air a grievance but most of all as a lawyer, my favorite quotation comes from Disraeli... He would say always 'I may disagree by what you say but I will defend your right to death to say it,'" Duterte said.

Duterte noted that he is also entitled to freedom of expression despite being the country's chief executive.

"I do not lose the freedom of expression just because I am the president. I am not barred from giving my own opinion just because I am the president," the president said.

In June, Duterte imposed a boycott of the media following criticism on his first few days in office. The president lifted his self-imposed boycott media boycott after more than a month.

Duterte had also criticized international media for supposedly spinning reports against him. The president made the comment after international media reported that he called American President Barack Obama a "son of a whore."

The president stressed that his expression "putang ina" was inaccurately translated and might have offended Obama, who later on canceled their supposed bilateral meeting last September. — Video edited by Efigenio Toledo IV

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