Journalists on Duterte’s tirade: Mindset of a petty tyrant

(philstar.com), Mar 31, 2017

MANILA, Philippines — A group of journalists hit back after President Rodrigo Duterte described the reporting of media organizations as garbage, describing his mindset as that of a “petty tyrant.”

The National Union of Journalists released a statement titled “Mr. Duterte, your mouth is getting the better of you!” shortly after Duterte blamed the media for reports that do not put the administration in a good light.

“Mawalang-galang subali’t napakalinaw na kayo po, at hindi sila, ang bastos (We beg your pardon, but it is clear that it is not the media, but you, who is rude),” the statement read. “It was a brazen abuse of your immense power as chief executive of this land and only shows how little, if any, appreciation you have of democracy and governance.”

“It is a mindset of the petty tyrant who mistakenly believes public office is an entitlement that allows you to flaunt the laws of the land that both grant you power and ensure the checks that prevent you from abusing that power,” it continued.

In his speech, Duterte cursed at “oligarchs” who own media agencies and accused two media organizations of twisting his words after their preferred candidate did not win the elections.

While he acknowledged that it is the media’s role to be adversarial to government, he pleaded: “‘wag n’yo naman sobrahan (don’t go over the line).”

For NUJP, however, despite Duterte’s “absolutely twisted” rant, independent journalists would continue informing the public whether he agrees with the reports or not.

Duterte is known for his long-winding, expletive-laden remarks that would be clarified or contradicted by his own officials after reports on them would be published or aired. By tradition, a president’s remarks should translate to policy.

Before the president’s speech on Thursday, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella accused the New York Times of being part of a “well-funded campaign” to discredit Duterte. The Times’ journalists behind the documentary on the country’s brutal war on drugs that has killed thousands of Filipinos denied the Palace’s allegations.

RELATED: New York Times: No part in ‘campaign’ to oust Duterte

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The full NUJP statement is reproduced below:

March 30, 2017
Mr. Duterte, your mouth is getting the better of you!

Your incoherent and foulmouthed rant against two of the country’s major media outfits – the Philippine Daily Inquirer and ABS-CBN – was not only unwarranted, it was absolutely twisted.

Mawalang-galang subali’t napakalinaw na kayo po, at hindi sila, ang bastos. It was a brazen abuse of your immense power as chief executive of this land and only shows how little, if any, appreciation you have of democracy and governance. It is a mindset of the petty tyrant who mistakenly believes public office is an entitlement that allows you to flaunt the laws of the land that both grant you power and ensure the checks that prevent you from abusing that power.

No, Sir, we have learned enough to know that to ask you for an apology or to even come to your senses is an exercise in futility. But one thing we can assure you of, Sir, your curses and your threats cannot and will not prevent us, the community of independent Filipino journalists, from fulfilling our duty to inform the people as best we can of what is happening to our country, whether you agree with what we report or not.