In a surprising display of graciousness and tact, the normally tough-talking Duterte told the media, “Do not hesitate to attack or criticize me if I do wrong in my job. It is your duty to your country.”
He was talking to the media after his arrival in Davao City midnight of Sep 10, Sat, after his state visit to Indonesia.
Duterte’s strong opinion about the media is not a secret, spurring a love-hate relationship between the two. But it looks like the ASEAN summit truly made him a “more peaceful man.”
When he was asked if he was mad at the media for reporting that he cursed at U.S. President Barack Obama, Duterte said, “I am not a liberty to be angry at anybody, it is your sworn duty to ask questions. Wala akong galit sa inyo (I do not hold a grudge against you).”
He added that people commit mistakes and cited his response to journalist Ed Lingao’s apology.
“Si Ed Lingao… he apologized and I accept his apology. Sometimes you commit error… People commit mistake, some with malice, some without malice… I appreciate the apology,” Duterte was quoted in an InterAksyon report.
Duterte encouraged those present to be “a media that is there to [find] out the true and accurate — you portray history.”
In the same InterAksyon report, Duterte adds the the media shows “an accurate and true representation of what’s going on.”
“Saludo ako (I salute you),” Duterte told the media.
Thank you, Mr. President. We hope your cabinet will follow suit.
