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Duterte, according to his TV co-host

Trishia Billiones, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-social"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XiWv51ARJb0" width="510"></iframe></figure><p>President-elect Rodrigo Duterte may be known for his expletives and tough demeanor, but his long-time TV co-host tells ANC, it’s because the Davao mayor feels strongly for the poor and victims of injustices.</p><p>Atty. Geraldine Tiu, who co-hosted &quot;Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa&quot; with Duterte for five years, said on Thursday, Duterte is the kind of person who says what&#x27;s at the top of his head.</p><p>“From the top of his head, he usually speaks out, and based on that, somehow people gets confused. But really, from the moment he makes up his mind, he sticks to it,” she said.</p><p>Tiu said, she knows Duterte is serious when he gets angry on their show.</p><p>&quot;The moment he says the expletives during the show, that means he’s very serious, and he feels very strongly about certain issues. He’s very forceful in the way he speaks, then he is very serious, and people should listen to him&quot; she said.</p><p>One thing, she said, that makes Duterte angry and emotional is when he witnesses oppression.</p><p>Tiu recalled a time when they had to pause during taping because Duterte became emotional when he saw helpless people at the height of the Typhoon Yolanda&#x27;s devastation.</p><p>&quot;He becomes tough, and I’ve noticed this, when he sees people who are suffering from injustice and from abusive people. He really feels for the victims, for the oppressed,&quot; she said.</p><p>She revealed, another soft spot of Duterte is for children, especially those with cancer, and he even put up a foundation in Davao that takes care of cancer-stricken children.</p><p>&quot;All I can say is yes, he is tough, you hear it in the way he talks, he uses colorful language. But really, deep down inside, he is a very compassionate man. He feels for the poor,&quot; said Tiu.</p><p>She said Duterte believes in standing by the poor and the helpless when their rights clash with the rich, even if his friends belong to the rich.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:50.0% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/_N01MIDRHN/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A photo posted by Geraldine Tiu (@qtgen)</a> on <time dateTime="2015-12-13T02:56:37+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Dec 12, 2015 at 6:56pm PST</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="~//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Meanwhile, she also believes Duterte will make an effort to fix his demeanor and language, but she admits, it will not happen overnight.</p><p>&quot;It’s gonna take a lot of time because he is who he is. And let’s face it, people love him for that, for being like that, for employing colorful language, for being emotional,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;I’m sure he will make the effort, but I also don’t want him to completely change because that will no longer be our Mayor Rodrigo Duterte that we really love in Davao,&quot; she said.</p><figure class="op-social"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="350" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H0HWQ-_RYiY" width="510"></iframe></figure><div><strong>DUTERTE THE COMIC</strong></div><p>But when he&#x27;s not being serious, Tiu said Duterte is fond of making jokes, some of which he takes back immediately after saying.</p><p>She admitted, she was so intimidated with Duterte when she first co-hosted the show with him that she ended up stuttering.</p><p>&quot;He had to shout ‘cut!’ We had to retake the introduction because I had a mental block. He said ‘relax, panyera. Take your time. It’s okay if we reach 4 AM in the morning. We can do this.’ And from then on, I felt at ease and I realized that he’s not that scary at all,&quot; she said.</p><p>She added, Duterte also rambled on in their show because he would often connect his previous experiences to the topic at hand.</p><p>&quot;Only when you get to understand where he&#x27;s coming from and what he&#x27;s trying to say that you get the..you connect everything,&quot; she said, admitting that she herself did not understand it at first.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:50.0% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><div style="margin:8px 0 0 0;padding:0 4px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/_9TMxnjRAl/" style="color:#000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none;word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">The year that was #2015. #intelligent #conversations, #laughter, #camaraderie #friendship, #learning, #being #relevant. Looking forward to #2016. Cheers! ???????? #GMPM #duterte #duterte2016</a></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap">A photo posted by Geraldine Tiu (@qtgen) on <time dateTime="2015-12-31T13:26:18+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Dec 31, 2015 at 5:26am PST</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="~//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>However, Duterte&#x27;s quirks and jokes were not interpreted this way when Manila-based national media started covering him in the election campaign and after he won.</p><p>Tiu said, unlike Manila-based journalists, the press in Davao understand Duterte &quot;very well.&quot;</p><p>&quot;They know when he’s serious; they know when he’s joking. In fact, he has a very good communication or relationship with the local press, he even treats them,&quot; she said, referring to press briefings with the local media outside their show.</p><p>&quot;He just answers issues, and I don’t think he would take media personalities, or each media personality personally. He wouldn’t hold grudges, and he will just answer the issues. If there are adverse news or write-ups about him, he will just answer the issues,&quot; she said.</p><p>While on their show, Tiu said she doesn&#x27;t always agree with Duterte, but he is not the type to oppose.</p><p>&quot;He would listen to what you’re trying to say, and sometimes, he would adjust his point of view, and he would agree with what you said,&quot; she explained.</p><div><strong>DUTERTE THE MISOGYNIST, THE KILLER?</strong></div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:658px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:8px"><div style="background:#F8F8F8;line-height:0;margin-top:40px;padding:39.1203703704% 0;text-align:center;width:100%"><div style="background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC);display:block;height:44px;margin:0 auto -44px;position:relative;top:-22px;width:44px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHQdB9LAdD6/" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A photo posted by Geraldine Tiu (@qtgen)</a> on <time dateTime="2016-06-29T23:37:32+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Jun 29, 2016 at 4:37pm PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="~//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js" type="text/javascript"></script><p>Tiu, a lawyer like Duterte, maintained the chief executive &quot;is always doing things within the bounds of law.&quot;</p><p>&quot;He’s a lawyer, he knows what he is doing. Never has it been proven or no witnesses came out saying that he did this or did that, violated the law or extrajudicial killings,&quot; she said.</p><p>She added, Duterte has always posed the challenge to accusers to produce evidence and witnesses. &quot;File the proper case in court, and he will answer it in the proper forum,&quot; she said.</p><p>As a woman, Tiu also believes Duterte is not a misogynist, but actually supports and promotes women’s rights as shown by local legislation in Davao.</p><p>Apart from the Women&#x27;s Code in Davao, she revealed Duterte also set up free legal support for abused women in Davao.</p><p>However, before Duterte was inaugurated, he was faced with much backlash from critics after his <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/halalan2016/nation/04/18/16/duterte-rape-remark-normalizes-rape-culture-rights-group">rape remark</a> on the slain Australian missionary while on the campaign trail, and his <a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/06/02/16/duterte-whistling-is-not-sexual">catcalling</a> of GMA-7 reported Mariz Umali.</p><p>&quot;Sometimes, these are comments or statements made in jest. So for me, personally, I don’t take them seriously. Sometimes he just wants to make people laugh, and well, I don’t know, people find it funny also if he talks that way,&quot; she said.</p>

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte may be known for his expletives and tough demeanor, but his long-time TV co-host tells ANC, it’s because the Davao mayor feels strongly for the poor and victims of injustices.

Duterte, according to his TV co-host

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Duterte, according to his TV co-host

Trishia Billiones,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 30, 2016 06:31 PM PHT

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