Duterte hits journalist over health question

DAVAO CITY – Presidentelect Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday continued his tirade against media, this time hitting a local journalist whom he said offended him in one of his press conferences last week.

Speaking during the thanksgiving party at the Davao Crocodile Park, Duterte said he felt insulted by a rude question of a reporter regarding his health.

Narrating the exchange, the incoming president said the reporter – whom he referred to

as a certain Manlupig – asked for a medical certificate after he assured the audience that he was fine when queried about his health.

Karlos Manlupig is a local correspondent of Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI).

In a Facebook post, Manlupig denied that he was the one who asked Duterte about his health.

“I never asked Duterte about his health during the press conference in Mandaya Hotel. It was Dennis Jay Santos, who is also a correspondent for PDI,” he said, adding that their local bureau has clarified matters with Duterte’s aide Bong Go.

In a separate post, Santos acknowledged that it was him who asked the question.

“It’s OK Karlos Manlupig everybody knows it wasn’t you who asked that question. I did and will acknowledge that at every given opportunity. Let it be known to the public,” he said.

Duterte said the question was disrespectful and impertinent.

He compared it to asking about the condition of the vagina of someone’s wife and asking for a medical report.

He also recalled his challenge to former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II during the campaign season, when he suggested comparing the size of their manhood when the issue of health cropped up.

Meanwhile, former Senate president Aquilino Pimentel Jr. called on the national and local media to assert their rights because that was precisely what they fought for during the Marcos regime.

While there is freedom of the press, Pimentel said this should be invoked with responsibility in reporting.