Push Admin

Palace on Duterte’s tirades vs ABS-CBN: He values press freedom

Article (news)

Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Malacañang on Tuesday stressed President Rodrigo Duterte values press freedom despite his tirades against several media outfits, including ABS-CBN.Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte, having been in politics for a long time, knows that media is “an indispensable institution” in a democracy.“Ang aking posisyon dyan, same way with how I deal with any media company, we have to work with them,” Roque said in a forum in Quezon City when asked to weigh in on the President’s tirades against ABS-CBN.“In a democracy, media and the free press are there as indispensable parts,” he added.Duterte on Friday vowed to “never intervene” in ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal but said he will not hand it to the network if he had his way.“Now ABS-CBN, ’yang franchise nila is due for renewal. Sige padala emissary para kausapin ako. Pinaalis na nila si Gabby (Lopez) kasi nothing will happen,” Duterte said in a speech during the opening of a drug rehabilitation facility in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.“I will not talk to you, but I will also never intervene. Pero if I had my way I will not give it back to you,” he added.Duterte has lashed out at ABS-CBN for supposedly not airing a political advertisement which he had already paid for.But Roque believes Duterte acknowledges that ABS-CBN was once an indispensable part of his career as a politician, as he once had his own television show in the network’s regional channel in Davao, titled “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa.”“Sa ABS-CBN, nagalit lang siya kasi parang nagpa-advertise siya at hindi in-air,” Roque said.“Nine years siyang nagkaroon ng show sa ABS-CBN Davao and of course that was indispensable in his political career as well.”----News.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.

Malacañang on Tuesday stressed President Rodrigo Duterte values press freedom despite his tirades against several media outfits, including ABS-CBN.

Malacañang on Tuesday stressed President Rodrigo Duterte values press freedom despite his tirades against several media outfits, including ABS-CBN.

Palace on Duterte’s tirades vs ABS-CBN: He values press freedom

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

News

Palace on Duterte’s tirades vs ABS-CBN: He values press freedom

Dharel Placido,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 07, 2018 04:07 PM PHT

|

Updated August 07, 2018 04:16 PM PHT

Read More:

Rodrigo Duterte

ABS-CBN

Harry Roque

media

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.