Palace: Rappler ban ‘not an attack on press freedom’

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to prohibit Rappler from covering Palace events is not an attack on press freedom.

Roque stressed that the media, including those that are evidently anti-administration like the Philippine Daily Inquirer, still have access to cover events at Malacañang.

“Let us be clear: The case of Rappler is not an attack on press freedom. Members of the media, including the Philippine Daily Inquirer, continue to be hard-hitting, yet they can cover the activities of the President,” he said in a statement Wednesday, February 21.

He said Duterte felt betrayed by Rappler reporter Pia Ranada, whom he treated as a granddaughter despite his persistent rants against the online news organization.

“Pia betrayed him. Many of Malacañang Press Corps’ members know that she’s being treated as the President’s granddaughter. But to continue spreading fake news, there’s no reason at all for her to stay at Malacañang,” Roque added.

Duterte is using as basis for the Rappler ban the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruling issued on January 11 which revoked Rappler’s certificate of incorporation for violating the constitutionally mandated foreign equity restrictions.

“We did not implement the SEC decision at once. We could have earlier disallowed Rappler’s Palace beat reporter, Pia Ranada, from entering Malacañang when the SEC decision was handed down, if our intent is to infringe press freedom,” Roque said.