Duterte's catcalling during press meeting ‘defies logic'
GMA 7 news anchor Raffy Tima was not able to hide his disappointment when incoming president Rodrigo Duterte catcalled his wife, news reporter Mariz Umali.
Duterte draw flak on social media after Wednesday's press conference in Davao City when instead of answering Umali's question about his cabinet secretaries, he resorted to catcalling the female reporter.
Tima said in a Facebook post that with Duterte's reputation, he's not at all shocked by his action. However, he believes it is still not right.
"For someone who espouses leadership by example, catcalling anyone in a press conference with all cameras trained on him defies logic. Then again, that's Mayor Duterte," he wrote.
The newsman was further appalled by how some people inside the press conference room reacted.
"Most laughed, others made teasing noise and basically urged the mayor to dish some more! And he did. I do hope none of them were journalists because if they were, shame on them."
"When you see or hear anyone say something wrong you do not encourage it, you do the opposite. Or in that particular instance at least, they should have kept quiet and in their silence gave the message that what the mayor did was wrong. Some jokes are funny and should be laughed at... but disrespecting women is defi- nitely not one of them."
Umali, on her part, thanked her husband for defending her and admitted that she was also taken aback by Duterte's response.
She said she tried to understand the presidentelect and kept her composure amid the awkward situation.
Answer
"I stood my ground and then talagang nilakasan ko yung boses ko na, 'Sir, can I get my answer' because kahit na ano man yung naging situation, inisip ko na lang na I must understand na baka palabiro lang itong si President-elect Duterte based from how I know him o kung ano yung alam ko doon sa mga coverages sa kanya ng ibang reporters," the reporter said during a "News To Go" interview on Thursday.
She added: "Minaintain ko na lang yung composure ko, I tried to understand what the situation was, and tried to get my answer, which I did."
Umali said no one from Duterte's camp approached her to apologize.
"From their end, walang lumapit o nakipagusap man lang. I'm not expecting any apology pero wala man lang nakipagusap from their end."
She said she will just continue to do her job of reporting about the incoming president.
"It may have been improper from a presidentelect but, of course, we will continue to do our job and we are not expecting any apology from him personally." (Sunnex)