Journalists from private companies were left out in the cold in the first news conference held by President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang last Thursday, July 7.
The President prohibited dozens of members of the Malacañang Press Corps except for Rocky Ignacio, reporter of government-owned People’s Television network, from covering his public address on the war against illegal drugs at the Palace.
In a video released by RTVM, Ignacio was the sole journalist allowed to ask the President a few questions after his statement.
When she asked about the role of Vice President Leni Robredo in his Cabinet, Duterte was compelled to call Robredo and offer a government post. Robredo eventually accepted Duterte’s offer for her to lead the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.
The PTV-4 senior reporter has been a friend of the former Davao City mayor for more than a decade. Duterte earlier hinted that he was smitten with Ignacio but his romantic gesture was apparently rejected.
Prior to his victory in the May polls, Duterte had a falling out with the media after drawing criticisms over his remarks on media corruption and violence. But he turned the tables on the press when he decided to boycott them. He has refused to grant media interviews except for PTV-4 supposedly to avoid being misquoted.
