PUBLIO J. BRIONES III:

The appointment of Kabayan Party-list Rep. Harry Roque as President Rodrigo Duterte’s latest mouthpiece was hounded by controversy, fueled by the official’s bombastic statements. Briones admits that he wasn’t sure the lawyer and human rights activists was the right man for the job. But Roque revealing that he has a soft spot for journalists gave Briones some pause. And when Roque chose Cebu to be his first press briefing outside Manila last Sunday, appearing with Cebu 3rd District Rep. Gwen Garcia and House deputy speaker no less, Briones became an instant fan.

No. He did not have me at hello. In fact, when I first heard that President Rodrigo Duterte had appointed Kabayan Party-list Rep. Harry Roque to replace Ernesto Abella as the presidential mouthpiece, my eyebrows were so raised these almost hit the ceiling.

It didn’t help that the lawyer and human rights activist threatened to throw hollow blocks at Duterte critics two days after the former was welcomed into the latter’s clique.

My jaw also dropped when I heard the law professor’s not-so subtle message to people who scoffed at his recent windfall: “Mamatay kayo sa inggit. Tapos na mga panahon ‘nyo. Laos na kayo, kaya puwede ba, move on na kayo.”

Seriously? It had come to that. Or so I thought.

But then he changed his tact when it came to mainstream media.

Apparently, Roque has a soft spot for journalists. At least, those who tell the truth, anyway, or, I would presume, his version of the truth, considering there are now so many out there being floated around.

Then again, there would be no reason for any animosity since, as he told Rappler, he has “not had a bad experience” in all his years of dealing with the press. Well, that’s good to know. Then yesterday, I saw his picture in the other paper. He was with Cebu Third District Rep. Gwen Garcia, who is also House deputy speaker, during his first press briefing outside Manila last Sunday night at the Grand Convention Center here in Cebu. My arched eyebrows dropped a notch. I’ve been and continue to be a great admirer of the former governor, having served her as a consultant for almost two years, and seeing the two of them together made me rethink my whole impression of Roque.

And it helped that Roque put on the charm offensive, telling members of the local media that he got married here in the province. Or that he spent his vacations in Cebu when he was younger.

Well, why didn’t he just say so in the first place?

Whatever misgiving I may have had about his earlier pronouncements I immediately chucked out of the window.

Heck, the guy is virtually a Cebuano. I was surprised he didn’t conduct his press briefing in Bisaya then he would have had me and all of Cebu eating out from the palm of his hand.

Someone must have briefed Roque that the way to a Cebuano’s heart is to stoke his or her Cebuanoistic ego. (I didn’t say “regionalistic” because, come on, our neighboring provinces don’t matter. They’re mere vassal states of Imperial Cebu.)

And I bet you it was his “BFF.”