‘No media ban’

Malacañang yesterday assured that members of the media critical of President Duterte will not lose access to the President. “There is no basis for such apprehension,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a text message. “No press has been denied access to Palace briefings because of his or her critical stance against the current administration,” he added. Abella, however, cited one instance where President Duterte himself decided to boycott the media after the President felt that certain media practitioners were “inordinately transgressive.” (Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos)