Rody hits hard at media, ‘elite’

Calling their owners “full of s**t,” President Duterte yesterday lashed out at broadsheet Philippine Daily Inquirer and broadcast giant ABS-CBN for their supposed unfair reporting and threatened to expose the lives of the families behind the two media outlets.

Duterte, who has had a lovehate relationship with the media, mouthed invectives at Inquirer and ABS-CBN as he accused them of reporting “garbage.”

He claimed the two news organizations became “really vicious and virulent” after their favored candidate, whom he did not name, lost the elections.

The Inquirer denied the accusation while ABS-CBN had yet to issue a statement as of press time.

“Ganun ‘yan mababasa mo, makikita mo naman, talagang tinu-twist nila. Iyong slant na slant. Sinasadya na (You can see that they are really twisting stories. It’s intentional). They do not complete the sentence intentionally and they just zero in on the adjective),” the President said during the oath taking of officials at Malacañang.

“Those are the persons na wala na silang nakita sa mundong ito na maayos (who see nothing positive in this world),” he added.

Duterte was particularly ticked with an Inquirer story that quoted him as saying that all he could tell the poor is “sorry” if they are killed in his campaign against illegal drugs.

“Look at Inquirer. They said I am killing the poor,” he said with invectives. “They have been reporting garbage even during the campaign period,” the President said in Filipino, referring to an allegation that he has millions in undeclared bank accounts.

“The poor will be killed. Look at the way they slant… hindi ko tinatakot (I am not scaring them) but someday, ’yung karma dadating ’yan (they will suffer karma),” he added.

“Inquirer, you’ve never been fair. I know that it’s supposed to be antagonistic but fair? Bastos kayo (you are disrespectful). Pati ABS-CBN bastos, bastos talaga (Even ABS-CBN is disrespectful).”

He called Inquirer and ABSCBN walanghiya (shameless).

Duterte reiterated that he is ready to resign if the allegations regarding his supposed undeclared wealth would turn out to be true.

“If there is a really a P200 million in my account, I will resign tomorrow, that’s my chal- lenge to everybody. And if my children would get involved in corruption, I will gladly step down. That’s true,” he said in expletive laced remarks.

“You peddled trash. Somebody has to tell this to you. Sons of b ****** . You crossed the line with your foolishness,” he added.

Inquirer, meanwhile, denied that it has been unfair in its coverage of Duterte and his administration.

“Since its founding in 1985, the Inquirer has upheld the highest standards of excellence in journalism. Even as we’ve courageously pursued the truth in our coverage, we’ve endeavored to get the administration’s side of any controversy,” Inquirer executive editor Jose Ma. Nolasco said in a statement.

Nolasco noted that Inquirer’s opinion page runs the column “View from the Palace,” where Cabinet officials can explain the policies of the President as well as his achievements.

“The Inquirer’s wide readership and hundreds of awards, prizes and citations from prestigious organizations here and abroad attest to its adherence to accuracy, fairness and balance in its reporting,” he said.

‘Oligarchs’

Duterte assailed the Prietos and Lopezes, the families who own Inquirer and ABS-CBN, respectively, describing them as oligarchs and “full of s***.”

“That’s what ails Philippine society. It’s the corrupt media, the Prietos and the Lopezes who are money-faced, and the Church. The oligarchs of this country,” the President said.

“Journalism is antagonistic. That’s their role. Huwag lang sobrahan (just do not cross the line). Kayong mga Prieto, Lopez, you’re full of s***,” he added.

Duterte said he is ready to counter the tirades against him using state-run television station PTV 4.

“Eh di ako kuha ako ng programa araw-araw dito sa PTV 4 bastusin ko rin kayo (I’ll just have a daily program on PTV-4 and I’ll malign you there),” the President said.

“Kung ganun, puputahin ko kayo araw-araw. Iistorya ko mga buhay ng anak niyo. Huwag nyo masyadong sobrahan. Di naman ako maghuremantado (In that case, I will curse you everyday. I will tell stories about your children. I won’t go berserk). I will give your dues also,” he said during an event of Go Negosyo also yesterday.