Calling off address to nation, Rody, Panelo in Q&A

DAVAO CITY – President Duterte’s scheduled press conference where he was supposed to address the nation about compelling issues was canceled yesterday.

Instead, Duterte opted to speak in a one-on-one with chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo.

The event was aired live by state-run PTV4 and Radio-TV Malacañang at around 3:15 p.m.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. insisted that Malacañang did not cancel the press conference but only modified its format.

“Questions from the media were collected and sent to attorney Panelo for the President to answer,” Roque said.

Roque said there was a “misunderstanding.” He said he never mentioned it would be a press briefing.

Palace officials told reporters that the President’s address to the nation was called off at around 2 p.m. shortly after the Supreme Court denied Sen. Antonio Trillanes’ petition for a temporary restraining order stopping Proc- lamation 572 issued by Duterte.

Duterte revoked the amnesty granted to Trillanes by former president Benigno Aquino III in 2011 for plotting to oust then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

On Monday, Roque said Duterte would address the nation about important issues, prompting speculations that the President would talk about the voiding of Trillanes’ amnesty, soaring inflation and rice prices as well as tax reforms.

Duterte also held his monthly Cabinet meeting yesterday afternoon.