DAVAO CITY, Philippines- President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has refused to apologize for his controversial statement on media killings on Tuesday, May 31.
During a media briefing at the Presidential Guesthouse at DPWH Depot Compound, Panacan in Davao City on Thursday, June 2, Duterte said that “most” murdered journalists in the country are corrupt.
“What can I do? You are there, there is always a risk. Even the good ones who died along the way, they exposed something that maybe benefited our country, I would like to admit that,” Duterte told the media.
According to Duterte, there are three kinds of journalists: crusaders, mouth pieces, and the low-life journalists. While crusaders bear everything to the public and sometimes hit big businesses, mouth pieces protect influential people by coming up with “press release” type of news.
Low-life journalists, according to the outspoken mayor of Davao City, are those who dig up dirt and ask for money from the subject of their stories in exchange for remaining silent. He called them vultures pretending to be journalists’.
“Pero kayong mga low lives, you can die for all I care. Hinihingi 'nyo, pumapasok kayo sa illegal,” Duterte said.
(You low lives, you can die for all I care. You asked for it, you engaged in illegal activities.)
Duterte added that “good journalists” seldom die because they are righteous and their opinions are respected.
When asked how his administration plan to address or stop the rising rate of media killings in the Philippines, Duterte said that the media should be honest.
“To end this problem, it has to end in your court, not in mine,” Duterte said.
Here's the full video of Duterte's June 2 press conference (video courtesy of News5):
In 2015, Philippines was named the 4th worst country in unsolved media murders based on the Global Impunity Index of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based watchdog.
--Mini, The Summit Express
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| Presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte is standing by his statement on media killings. Photo screengrab from News5 video. |
“What can I do? You are there, there is always a risk. Even the good ones who died along the way, they exposed something that maybe benefited our country, I would like to admit that,” Duterte told the media.
According to Duterte, there are three kinds of journalists: crusaders, mouth pieces, and the low-life journalists. While crusaders bear everything to the public and sometimes hit big businesses, mouth pieces protect influential people by coming up with “press release” type of news.
Low-life journalists, according to the outspoken mayor of Davao City, are those who dig up dirt and ask for money from the subject of their stories in exchange for remaining silent. He called them vultures pretending to be journalists’.
“Pero kayong mga low lives, you can die for all I care. Hinihingi 'nyo, pumapasok kayo sa illegal,” Duterte said.
(You low lives, you can die for all I care. You asked for it, you engaged in illegal activities.)
Duterte added that “good journalists” seldom die because they are righteous and their opinions are respected.
When asked how his administration plan to address or stop the rising rate of media killings in the Philippines, Duterte said that the media should be honest.
“To end this problem, it has to end in your court, not in mine,” Duterte said.
Here's the full video of Duterte's June 2 press conference (video courtesy of News5):
In 2015, Philippines was named the 4th worst country in unsolved media murders based on the Global Impunity Index of Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based watchdog.
--Mini, The Summit Express
